Documentary: Surfing as philosophy of life
Features - March 19, 2006
Tari Danawidjaja, Contributor, Jakarta
The sea has its own secret, the waves tell their own story. The documentary opens with men paddling out to sea. They pause, waiting for a good wave, and then they are riding, conquering it. The sea has become their life, their soul and source of happiness.
The sea has a different meaning for the Acehnese people. Their villages, lands and homes were wiped out by the mother of all waves; they were drowned in grief.
To some, the sea brings joy and happiness, while it brings grief and pain to others -- and this is exactly what Ivan Handoyo tries to convey in his debut documentary, Thank You and Good Night, Mother.
In 2004, Ivan -- who directed and wrote the documentary -- began his journey to Carita and Bandulu, both in Banten, West Java. About a 2.5-hour drive from Jakarta, Carita and Bandulu are probably the closest surfing spots to the capital. The trip opened his eyes to a surfing culture in a non-urban area, as well as to the philosophy behind surfing.
In the documentary, Ivan embarks upon his journey by making friends with locals, who are mostly natural-born surfers. Ivan found something different about these surfers: They make a living through their day jobs as security guards, lifeguards, pool maintenance men or jet-ski instructors, yet the sea is their life.
Through his shots of the sea, the beach and the waves, Ivan leads the audience to look at the joys and pains of surfing. It's the paddling, the waiting and finally the riding that brings the rush, even though they are beaten by the waves over and over again.
One surfer who works as a security guard said he couldn't stand just looking at a wave -- so he would undress, grab his board and ride the waves for an hour or two, then go back to work. He'd rather do that instead of watching his friends surf and think of how much he wanted to plunge in. Surfing is his life; nothing else beats the joy of riding the waves.
It's not only adult surfers who are crazy about the sport, and even kids find their happiness on a wave.
During an interview at a surfer's hangout, several camera-shy kids revealed own their reasons for taking up the sport. Some of them are training to be professional surfers, while others dove in for the thrill and excitement -- and never mind that they're getting darker and darker.
The other, less explored side of surfing is pain and fear. One surfer admitted that once he was standing on the board, he would think of his own fear about the wave and conquer it. He added that he'd also remember God -- and that there was nothing he could do if he got carried away by a wave.
In the final minutes of the film, Ivan goes on a different journey, bringing two Bandulu friends to Bali. Here, the joy and fear become one: fears about going to a new place, buy joy in trying out some of the best surfing spots in the country.
Thank You and Good Night, Mother highlights the basic philosophy behind surfing. It's not just about lifestyle -- it's a culture and a ritual that raises a kind of spiritual truth unique to each surfer.
The documentary is very emotional, yet also entertaining. Ivan, with his background in both photography and filmmaking, has captured not only beautiful panoramas, but also the unseen bond between himself and the surfers.
Thank You and Good Night, Mother (Documentary, 60 minutes) will be screened at Goethe Haus, (021) 23550208, on Saturday, March 25 at 7 p.m., and on Sunday, March 26 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Admission is free.
