Tackling the issues of religious fundamentalism, a veteran director has drawn from Indonesia’s recent terrorist violence and extensive cultural research to create a narrative about the seduction of youth by Islamic militant groups.

Director Garin Nugroho’s “Mata Tertutup” (“Closed Eyes”) is a docu-drama chronicling the sweeping and no-longer-secretive recruitment of youngsters by the outlawed Indonesian Islamic State (NII) and other fundamentalist groups. 

“It’s a very simple film, played mostly by ordinary people, not movie stars,” Garin said. “I found it urgent to make this film because the issues are important, and no one has done it for the big screen.”

The film opens with a gripping scene where a group of blindfolded teenagers are being taken to the headquarters of the NII movement — the ominous beginnings of an indoctrination that will permanently change (and in some cases abruptly end) their lives. Garin intentionally left the precise location of the film’s setting ambiguous, in an effort to make the situations universal to Indonesians.

The film is divided into three parts, each with different lead characters and settings.

Act one centers on Rima, a malleable teenager who becomes a rising star in the cult because she manages to raise the most money for the organization — she is even appointed as qonsha, a female commander, after a short time. Rima is played by Eka Nusa Pertiwi, a student of Yogyakarta’s Indonesian Institute of Arts.

The second act focusses on Jabir, also known as Shobir, who is expelled from an Islamic boarding school because he cannot afford the tuition. Jabir, played by 25-year-old Dinu Imansyah, from Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, is mired in poverty and saddened (and angered) to see his mother struggling to make ends meet by working in a traditional market. In desperation, Jabir joins a radical Islamic group, which leads him to record a video message to his mother before strapping himself with explosives and blowing them up in the name of jihad.

“I will commit jihad to liberate you from all sins, mother. May we meet in heaven,” Jabir said.

Garin said the character of Jabir was inspired by the story of a bomber from the 2003 J.W. Marriott Hotel in Mega Kuningan in South Jakarta.

The third act centers around Asimah, a woman whose only daughter is abducted by a radical cult and forced to become a member. Asimah, played by Jajang C. Noer, the only established movie star in the film, desperately scours the city to find her daughter.

“I immediately accepted the offer to play this role because I’m carried away emotionally by the condition of this country,” Jajang said.

“Fundamentalism is not born of itself, it’s a result of people’s powerlessness against the negative influences around them, and neglect by the government.” Jajang also said that religious scholars should lay the foundation of love rather than continually instilling the fear of God and hell.

“In Indonesia, only 15 percent of scholars teach how God loves human beings and human beings should love one another — this is one of the problems of violence in religious life,” she said.

Jajang said parents play an essential role in instilling character and values in their children, and said families should cooperate with schools in teaching about thinking and behavior.

“Our children could lose character if the family ignores their development, and schools only focus on scholastic achievement,” Jajang said. “Our society is in turmoil, and in a condition of confusion — we are vulnerable to attack from all walks of life, and this is concerning.”

“Mata Tertutup” was shot in just two months with a budget of Rp 1 billion ($112,000). For the production, Garin worked with Ma’arif Production , which did most of the research for the script. “I turn the piles of research results into movie scenes,” Garin said.

The movie has been met with praise. Film critic Hikmat Darmawan said “Mata Tertutup” is by far the most linear and verbal production that Garin has made — the director is known for his fondness of using depth and layered scenes to get his messages across.

“In short, it’s a brave and must-see film, one of the best in 2011,” Hikmat said.

Garin admits that the movie is bursting with conflict, although the film is not presented as explicitly suspenseful.

Garin said the film is essentially a family drama. “In search of their roles in life, each youth has to deal with fundamentalism, regardless of their religion. Whether they’re poor, rich, educated or uneducated is not a factor,” Garin said. “The film is a medium of education for the citizens of Indonesia, especially [to help] families and children resist the various forms that fundamentalism takes.”

Ahmad Syafii Ma’arif, former chairman of Muhammadiyah, the second-largest Muslim organization in Indonesia, and the founder of the Ma’arif Institute for Culture and Humanity, praised “Mata Tertutup” for its stance against fundamentalism.

Ahmad said that radicals were unscrupulous, hijacking God and religious messages. He added that fundamentalism in Indonesia is “triggered by the absence of justice. But if youth are involved in the group, they are actually digging the grave for their own future.”

Young people today, he said, should strive to be intelligent, and not provoked by the “doctrine of black and white” preached by radical groups with the theme of Hijra, or migration from poor countries in search of a better life.

The film’s genesis stemmed from a growing concern over the phenomenon of religious fundamentalism among the younger generation, according to Riza Ul Haq, the film’s executive producer, and the Ma’arif Institute’s executive director.

Public schools, Riza argued, have become a fertile ground for the growth of religious fundamentalism and cultural violence.

“We have done a lot of research to shed light on this phenomenon. With this film, we turn the research into a visual medium because we think it’s more effective to reach younger people through film so we can get the message across,” Riza said.

'Mata Tertutup'
Due for theatre release in early 2012.
In Indonesian, with English subtitles.