the journey to understand

My cousin and I went to cinema last Sunday. I’m not the kind of going to theather, you know. I think I’ve passed that phase. I’d rather watching movie from my macbook screen where I can pause and find the most comfortable watching position. But, hey, it doesn’t hurt coming to 21 once in a while.

 [photo: Mencari Hilal's Twitter]

The theatre has 3 Indonesian movie and one western horror. We chose “Mencari Hilal” (The Crescent Moon) as Febby was recommended by her friend earlier. And it seems like better movie than any other, from the point of view of someone who rarely enjoy local movie. There’s always nasty things about it, mostly about the sound. It feels like every Indonesian movie is dubbed for having such echo and separated sound. Kinda remind me my childhood when I watched Warkop’s movies on tv, when they mostly are not suitable for kids. It creates some kind of trauma. XD

The movie started on 12.45 and we came 10 minutes earlier to an (almost) empty theatre. There are only 3 other people waiting for the movie. Well, it seems like most people were still on vacation, ha.

The story starts showing main protagonist, Mr.Mahmud, who operates his P&D shop sincerely. He doesn’t cheat or take advantage from his customers. Therefore people are happily trading with him. This gives birth of jealousy from other merchants. They think Mahmud is getting on their way of making profit. Although they come to protest, Mahmud sticks on his ethic.

One day, Mahmud remembers his young time when he and his friends looked for hilal on last days of Ramadhan. Mahmud decides to retake the journey. Worry of the old man’s condition, Mahmud’s daughter forces her brother, Heli, to accompany him. Heli is an activist who’s waiting for his passport renewal. He hates his father for abandoning his sick mother on her last days years ago. Grumpy, but Heli walks next to him. The problem is Mahmud doesn’t really know where to go. His idea of asking some old friends lead to small adventure, which give Heli a headache.

They encounters various kind of moslems on their way: those who don’t fast, those hurt other religion, and those who mix the faith with local wisdom. Mahmud despises them all and tries to show them the “light”. On other hand, Heli is much more “ welcome”-if not careless-  on the differences among moslem. He himself is not as devoted as his father, thus the old man reprimands him to never voice his rebellion due to lack of islamic knowledge. 

Heli believes that religion is a personal thing and nobody should interfere about how people doing their religion. This movie stabs me in the heart as Heli’s idea resembles mine. I do think that I have no right to argue or intimidate any other adult’s faith. Other people’s believe is their problem. Unless they mess with mine, I’m gonna step away from touching the sensitive values. Sure, there is always tickling force when seeing people not doing what they’re supposed to do. 

There was time when a driver apologise for smoking in front of me. It was Ramadhan day. So, I think people actually know what’s right and wrong. They just don’t follow the code of conduct precisely. It’s not my problem. 

But, the most important thing is that we’re all want to be respected. to be heard, to be understood and not to be questioned. We’s like them to trust what we’re doing, because there’s part of that which giving strength to keep doing. We’re just…human, after all.