This exquisite film shines a light on a little known catastrophe that encased sixteen Indonesian villages under mud and displaced 60,000 people.
The villagers were forced to flee for their lives in 2006 when, while drilling, the Lapindo oil company caused a mud volcano. Sixteen people lost their lives in the initial event. The mud is expected to keep spewing until 2030. The gradual burial of life-sized figures of an art installation illustrates the magnitude and longevity of the devastation.
The polite, tenacious and adaptable common people fight against the arrogant, irresponsible, and manipulative gas and oil industry (in cahoots with the government) in an all too familiar David and Goliath scenario. It wasn't only their homes, belongings and sources of employment that were obliterated but their history as well.
First and foremost, this is a visually stunning documentary. From the opening frame of men smeared in mud watching the explosion site in the distance to the end scene of the young activist Dian swimming in a pool in her hijab, the choice of images, clever editing, framing and colors make Grit a visceral pleasure to watch.
The subtle ambient music suited the quiet nature of the film. Wind, water, steam and mud exploding along with traditional gamelan and percussion added context in the sound design. In addition, we inadvertently see the Indonesian's love of music.
East Java is one of those places that seems to fly under the radar. Disaster and politics aside, what this film does is shine a light on a fascinating people and culture. The film shows us the lives of Indonesians from both sides of the political divide.
We observe Dian, under the tutelage of her mother and other elders, transform from her affable, private unguarded self to an assured voice that won't be silenced at public rallies and protests.
The filmmakers have a knack for showing people in their natural state - children playing in the streets, discussions of politics, the election process, craftspeople at work, school and home life, leisure time and intimate moments. We see the love individuals have for one another, for their community and for their once lush homeland that became a vast, cracked mud scape. The character of the people and their philosophy might be summed up in a few filmed seconds - when Dian's mother says goodbye to her daughters, they use the phrase, "Peace be upon you." But don't think these people are pushovers, they will keep on fighting, as they already have for years, for truth and justice.
