Video Slam 2013: Remixing the 1965 State Propaganda Film

‘Pengkhianatan G30S/PKI’ is an Indonesian film released in 1984. It depicted the historical events of September 30 to October 1, 1965. The film was directed by the renowned Arifin C. Noer. It was well funded and blessed by the Suharto Regime. The film shows the brutality of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), and the killing of army generals in a coup d’état attempt. Almost three decades later, a group of young video-makers got together to remix this old propaganda film.

For three days at the end of September 2013, EngageMedia and Bandung arts group Common Room Networks Foundation brought together 18 video makers from Jakarta, Bandung and Yogyakarta to remix the film Penghianatan G30S/PKI. The video makers viewed the propaganda film differently. Some were still traumatised as they had been forced to watch the film since such a young age, while some of the young video makers have only just watched the film.

This video slam project by no means attempts to create another historical version of this blurred film. Instead, through the different eyes and perceptions of these video makers, the organisers tried to break the taboo and get the film discussed and dissected creatively. During those three days, aside from talking and remixing, the video makers had the chance to Skype chat with several dissidents who had been living in exile since 1965.

At the end of the three days, the video makers managed to produce a total of 14 videos. Some are funny, one questions which version to believe in, one is a vision of trauma, and another points the finger at the real culprit. Read about the event here.

Check out the Video Slam 2013 YouTube Channel here, and tell us what you think!

Foto Terakhir (The Last Photographs)