Jermal: Artificial Island as the Allegory of Prison and the Past

Sutandio, Anton (2024) Jermal: Artificial Island as the Allegory of Prison and the Past. In: Critical Island Studies International Conference 2024, October 3, 2024, Manila.

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Abstract

This research investigates a 2008 Indonesian film, Jermal (Fishing Platform), directed by Ravi Bharwani, by focusing on how the film de-romanticises the island through a more realistic and harsh portrayal of people living in a jermal/fishing platform. As an archipelagic nation, Indonesian films are inseparable from depicting islands, and most of them tend to romanticize the island, especially when referring to other islands besides the “mainland” Java. In most films, islands are depicted as beautiful and enchanting, or as mysterious and horrifying. Romanticization in this research refers to the original notion of the word from the late 18th century to the mid-19th century that emphasizes the emotional, the subjective, the irrational, and the spontaneous. Jermal, on the other hand, moves away from romanticising the “island” by depicting a harsh reality through its narrative, dialogue, and visuals. Jermal as an artificial island is first and foremost constructed for economic purposes. It is about the life of the workers, most of whom are teenagers, on a fishing platform in the middle of the sea. Focusing on the film’s cinematography and mise-en-scene, such as camera movement and position, props, characters, actions, and dialogue, this research reveals how the film de-romanticises the notion of an “island” that is often seen as a place of beauty or mystery.

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