Kartini: Princess of Java

Hanung Bramantyo's 2017 Indonesian film follows a noblewoman living in Java at the start of the twentieth century. By the rules of her class Kartini cannot leave the house after a certain age; she goes on reading nonetheless and tries to open a school for girls. The subject is working from inside the boundary. Kartini does not reject the system outright; she proceeds by writing letters, translating and persuading her family. The narrative shows this not as compromise but as the only available route. Dian Sastrowardoyo leads. The production gives weight to period design and the relationship between colonial administration and local nobility sits inside the narrative. The tone is over-explanatory at times and the final section turns didactic. Who it's for: those interested in Indonesian history and narratives about women's rights. Who it's not for: viewers uncomfortable with an instructive tone; the film restates its message often.