Surga di Bawah Langit (Heaven Beneath the Sky) Learning Resource

Cinema in Indonesia

1. Find out about the film genres and styles that are most popular in Indonesia. (Genre refers to a film's category such as comedy, action etc.)
2. Indonesian film musicals are rare in Indonesia, but Petualangan Sherina (2000) directed by Riri Riza was a big hit and when its sequel was released in 2023, it garnered a huge cinema audience. Have a look at the Petualangan Sherina trailer, as the world it portrays makes such a powerful contrast to Surga di Bawah Langit.

Behind the production

This production was initiated by Indonesian singer, songwriter and actor Rio Silaen, who wanted to draw attention to the issue of child poverty and lack of access to education in Indonesia. It is not surprising he introduced the musical element, as he has the role of vocal director and vocal coach of Indonesian Idol Junior and X Factor Indonesia. Silaen plays the role of the choral coach in the film and then appears as himself leading a large choir of singers at the end of the film narrative.

1. Visit Surga di Bawah Langit's imdb page and find out about other members of the film's cast and crew.
2. Compile a vocabulary list of Indonesian terms for key roles in the film production process. You can then identify them when you watch the film credits in the cinema.

The world of the film

Surga di Bawah Langit is set on the outskirts of Jakarta in an area called Bantar Gebang. This area is known for the gigantic landfill area that dominates this community. It is the largest landfill in Southeast Asia: "The landfill sprawls across 110 hectares and is constantly growing – 7,000 tonnes of trash are added daily to the site of 40 million tonnes of garbage produced by the 32 million people living in the Greater Jakarta area." The quantity of waste is so huge, it can lead to landslides that endanger the lives of the community that has grown up around the rubbish site.

Read more about this area here. In groups, discuss what you have read and then answer the following:

1. List at least 3 significant things you learnt about the community of Bantar Gebang. (You can list more if you wish.)
2. What does the description of the Bantar Gebang landfill site tell you about the organisation and structure of society in Jakarta?.
3. In 2018, Indonesia's plastic waste doubled. Why did this happen and what does this tell you about global waste disposal and Indonesia's place in this process?
4. Find other descriptions of this area to build further knowledge and understanding.

Jaipongan

This style of dancing is at the heart of the Surga di Bawah Langit narrative. It has an interesting history. It was developed in the 1970s by musician and composer Gugum Gumbira to fill a gap left after western popular music was prohibited in Indonesia. You can watch a demonstration of the dance (below.)

1. Find out more about the development of this dance style.
2. Explain how this style drew on elements of traditional dance and music.

Your response

In Surga di Bawah Langit the gritty reality of life in one of Jakarta's poorest neighbourhoods is mixed with western-style musical numbers.

In pairs or groups, use these prompts to discuss your response:

1. Were there elements of the film that confused, surprised or even shocked you?
2. What did you think about the mix of musical and social commentary? Do you think the musical numbers added to or clashed with the serious themes in the film?
3. What message do you think the film is communicating? What do you think about this?
4. Which characters or story elements stood out for you? Explain why.
5. What did you learn about Indonesian society that you had not previously known?
6. Were there elements or references in the film that confused you, or that you would like to know more about?
7. Identify the main themes of the film.
8. Share what you have discussed with the rest of the class.

Audience

1. Who do you think is the target audience for this film? Explain your answer.
2. How successful do you think Surga di Bawah Langit is in reaching that target audience?
3. How would you describe this film to a friend?
4. Now that you have seen the movie, discuss whether you think the film trailer effectively communicates the style of Surga di Bawah Langit and what it is about.
5. Design a film poster publicising Surga di Bawah Langit. Make sure it communicates the key features of this film to its potential audience. Write a catch-phrase in Indonesian that can be used on the poster to communicate the key idea or theme explored in the film.

The title

1. Do you think this is an appropriate title for the film? Why/why not?
2. Write a paragraph explaining the meaning of the title, using examples from the film.

Reading the film

1. The film narrative moves between shots of the Bantar Gebang community (railway station, market, buildings etc.) and of the rubbish mountain. Did you notice that you rarely see the sky in the shots of the community while the blue of the sky dominates the scenes on the landfill? What is the impact of this decision? How does it connect with the film's title?
2. There is a rainbow over the rubbish mountain and Laras carries a rainbow umbrella. What is the significance of rainbows in the film narrative?
3. Think about the use of colour in the film. Despite being a film about poverty and a life of struggle, there is colour everywhere: amongst the rubbish, in what people wear, and in the setting. Why is this important? How does it add to the message of the film?
4. The children often sit on an ornate red couch balanced on top of the landfill. Why do you think the production designer chose that particular style and colour for the couch? What is being communicated about the children and their attitude to life through their conversations on the couch? What does it mean when they decide to turn it around to face in the opposite direction?

Community

1. Describe the Bantar Gebang community as it is portrayed in the film. Refer to: the people (children and adults), relationships between people. their work, where people live and any other aspects of their lives that stood out for you.
2. How does the film's portrayal of the community compare with real-life descriptions of the area and the community of people who live there?

Friendship

1. How would you describe the children's friendship? What do the children gain from their friendship? What are some of the ways their friendship is communicated?
2. How does the children's friendship add to our understanding of the Bantar Gebang community?

Childhood

1. Education is considered to be a basic human right, and in Indonesia education is compulsory. However, in Surga di Bawah Langit, Ayu is the only one of the friends who goes to school. What are some of the reasons Laras and Agus don't go to school?
2. What other aspects of the children's lives in Bantar Gebang communicate their poverty and lack of social support?
3. What do you think about the behaviour of adults towards the children? Give some examples of adults showing a sense of responsibility towards the children and others of less caring and socially responsible behaviour.

Opportunity

1. When Ayu argues with her grandmother about her dancing, she refers to someone in their community who went to high school but still ended up picking up plastic trash. Why do you think education is not enough on its own to improve someone's job prospects? What obstacles do people from Bantar Gebang face in trying to improve their lives?
2. In the conclusion to Surga di Bawah Langit we learn that the three friends have ended up achieving the life they wished for. Do you think this ending would give hope to real-life children in Bantar Gebang? Do you think it is possible to achieve your dreams no matter what? Explain your answer.