Khozy Rizal explores sexual and societal pressures in his latest critique of Indonesian toxic society, a hugely entertaining Short Palme d’Or nominated, Basri & Salma Dalam Komedi Yang Terus Berputar.
Makassar-based filmmaker Khozy Rizal is known for tackling the issue of gender and sexuality in his filmography, mainly set in his region which is rarely captured in Indonesian cinema. His 2021 short ‘Makassar is a City for Football Fans’, about a young man who has to pretend to love the game in order to prevent rejections from his toxic society, gained attention after it grabbed Sundance Asia’s main prize, where it competed with fellow Indonesian-based aspiring directors such as Indira Iman (Rong), Winner Wijaya (Masa Depan Cerah 2024), Percolate Galactic, Andri “Yujin Sick” (Rendang of Death), the latter, along with Rizal’s film made their way to the 2022 Utah’s festival.
Rizal’s latest work, ‘Basri & Salma in a Never-Ending Comedy’ was selected at the 2023 Festival de Cannes from 4,288 submissions, making it the first ever Indonesian short film competed for the prestigious Short Palme d’Or and the sole Asian film at this year’s edition, where Hungarian film director Ildikó Enyedi (On Body and Soul, The Story of My Wife) gave the prize to French-Hungarian animated 27 by Flóra Anna Buda and the Special Mention to shortest film in selection, Iceland’s Fár by Gunnur Martinsdóttir Schlüter.
The film, which tells the story of a husband (Aand Arham) and a wife (Rezky Chiki) also pointed out in a critique of the Indonesian community where a married couple will get societal pressure from their family members and society for having no child after years of marriage. The harmonious and romantic Basri and Salma owned an Odong-Odong (entertainment vehicle for children with colorful images and lights with cheerful kids’ songs for its backtrack) at a carnival taking care of other’s people children’s happiness, but things begin to change after they arrived at home. Despite the positive energy at the family’s diner table, where they’re taking a boomerang selfie, Basri’s facial expression was not into it. The uneasy feeling on his face shows that both him and his wife are being regularly talked about at family gatherings.
With its strong idea, electronic sounds (thanks to Abdul Chaliq Dp’s great taste in tone), vivid colors lighting, representing the Odong-Odong itself that creates rapturous images, propelled by a pair of lead performances that defy traditional societal expectations and executed in a very entertaining way, ‘Basri & Salma in a Never-Ending Comedy’ is an earnest, potent and surreal portrait of Indonesian toxic society with solid characterizations, sharp commentary and a funny spin on it. We cannot wait to see Rizal’s next works!
The 15-minute film is produced by Hore Pictures (Indonesia) and XRM Media (USA), with the support of the Southeast Asian Film Grant at the Singapore International Film Festival. Italy’s Lightson holds its worldwide sales.
