Di Balik Rupa

A short documentary that unveils the hidden layers of a controversial film production in Indonesian history, "Pemberontakan Pengkhianatan G30S/PKI" (PPG30SPKI). This film breaks down the official narrative that was ingrained in the minds of the Indonesian people for decades, explaining how the imagination and creative process of Subarkah Hadisarjana, a character makeup artist who played a crucial role in the production of PPG30SPKI, became a key element in creating a false historical narrative.

During Indonesia's New Order era, PPG30SPKI was used as government propaganda, constructing a single narrative about the 1965 tragedy. The film was screened every year on the night of September 30th, mandated as mandatory viewing for school students, and broadcast on the only television station at the time, TVRI. However, what the public believed as historical truth turned out to be the imagination of Subarkah and the film production team, who had no access to official autopsy reports of the tragedy.

"Di Balik Rupa” delves deeper into the memories, documents, and personal archives of Subarkah Hadisarjana. The film uses animation techniques to bring Subarkah's creative process in character makeup to life in the context of PPG30SPKI. Archive photos belonging to Subarkah are transformed into scenes that reveal how the characters in the film were created, ultimately shaping the narrative still believed by the public.

With a compelling narrative and profound visuals, “Di Balik Rupa” invites viewers to contemplate the power of media manipulation and the role of creativity in shaping historical perspectives. The film raises questions about truth, propaganda, and its impact on a society that believed in narratives created by rulers in the past. It is a documentary work that offers a rarely seen perspective on one of the darkest chapters in Indonesian history.