antara Cina, Tuhan, dan Anissa; Recommend Movie

Cina and Annisa love God and God loves them both. But Cina and Annisa cannot love each other because they call God by different names.

The word cinta in Indonesian means love. Cin(T)a is about Cina, Tuhan (God) and Annisa and the their love triangle.

The official website of Cin(T)a, www.godisadirector.com says that "God is the most unpredictable character. Everybody tries to describe Him, everybody thinks they know Him, every artist has tried to picture Him, but nothing is really like Him - or Her."

Director Sammaria Simmanjuntak said that she "wants to find God" with the movie.

Cina is an 18-year-old Catholic, who was born in Tapanuli, North Sumatra. Annisa is a 24-year-old Javanese Muslim. They are both studying architecture at a university in Bandung. Cina and Annisa love each other, but their age (Annisa is 6-years older than Cina), different ethnicity and, most of all, religion, create borders between them.

"Why did God creates us differently if He only wants to be worshipped in one way?" Annisa asked. "That's why God creates love, so all the differences can be united," replies Cina.

But it is Cina himself who says that diversity has become a clich* in Indonesia, where tolerance is easier said that done. Even though the first sila (tenet) of the guiding state ideology - Pancasila -is that "Ketuhanan Yang Maha Esa" (There is only one-great-God), the fact is that religion has been used as propaganda in several internal conflicts.

In one of their many debates Cina argues how religion was used as propaganda for the lowest common denominator in the Ambon conflict. In another plot device torn from the headlines, one of the characters was present in a church bombed on Christmas Eve.

Because of its challenging theme, this independent movie will surely lead to controversy. Passionate discussions have already erupted in the comments for its trailer on Youtube (www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvXVDo3OHUs).

Its Facebook fan page is also full of heated debate, even from people who haven't seen the movie. The controversy, uncharacteristic for an Indonesian film, will no doubt only help publicize Cin(T)a.

The questions, statements, and jokes about the one who is called I Am make for a smart and critical, yet wholly realistic movie.

The heady dialog is effectively contrasted with the minimalistic cinematography of the film, which helps keep it in lighthearted love story land. But the world of the film has a rather lonely atmosphere, as only two characters seem to inhabit it.

Sammaria says the choice two have just the two actors was intended to "express the feeling of falling in love. There are only two of us in this world when we're falling in love."

The sometimes awkward performance of the actors, who make their debut with the film, can be forgiven, as the intense camera work and fact that Cin(T)a is a dialog that would have challenged even veterans of the screen.

Cin(T)a will no doubt be poignant for anyone who is been in an inter-faith relationship. "My tears kept falling during the film, although it is not actually sad. But the emotion really slapped me. I deeply understand it," Agatha said after watching the premiere.

It is with additional scenes of real-life couples discussing their happy inter-faith marriages add to the films.

Cin(T)a will provoke thought about the beauty of pluralism without the calculated speeches of nationalist politicians.

Cin(T)a

Starring : Sunny Soon/Saira Jihan
Directed by : Sammaria Simanjuntak
Produced by : Sembilan Matahari Film
Duration : 79 minutes
Played at : Blitzmegaplex
With English subtitles