Entertainment · Film · 2 hrs ago
Red Before Dawn revisits Indonesia’s independence war through a road journey
Garin Nugroho’s Red Before Dawn follows a group crossing Indonesia in 1946, a year after the country declared independence.
The travelers go from Jakarta to Yogyakarta, where the newly formed independent government is based, carrying valuable geological surveys.
Their journey brings together people from different ethnic and religious backgrounds, including an engineer of Dutch and Indonesian heritage, an Indian driver, a blind radio operator, a Chinese nurse and a singer.
Indonesia’s war of independence began as the Second World War ended, and the country gained full independence from the Netherlands in 1949.
The film aims to show how people united behind one flag, but its storytelling relies heavily on explanatory dialogue and its journey lacks dramatic tension, according to the review.
The film is set to screen at the Tokyo International Film Festival, though no further plans are given.
Garin Nugroho’s film Red Before Dawn follows a group traveling through Indonesia during the independence war.
The characters journey from Jakarta to Yogyakarta in 1946, carrying geological surveys to the newly formed independent government.
The group includes people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds who face danger and hostility along the way.
The Hollywood Reporter review says the film is historically intriguing but weakened by didactic storytelling and insufficient dramatic tension.
- Who
- The film follows engineer Frans and a group of companions, including a driver, a radio operator, a nurse and a singer.
- What
- They travel across wartime Indonesia to deliver geological surveys to the independent government.
- When
- The journey takes place in 1946, the year after Indonesia’s declaration of independence.
- Where
- The group travels from Jakarta to Yogyakarta.
- Why
- Frans is delivering geological surveys to the newly formed independent government.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Indonesia’s war of independence began.
Frans and his companions set out from Jakarta for Yogyakarta.
Indonesia achieved full emancipation from the Netherlands.
- Director
- Garin Nugroho
- Journey
- 600 miles
- Starting point
- Jakarta
- Destination
- Yogyakarta
- Year of journey
- 1946
- Film length
- 1 hour 53 minutes
What people are saying
Historically intriguing but dramatically lacking.