Ngenest

Ernest Prakasa's 2015 Indonesian film follows Ernest, growing up in a family of Chinese descent. Three periods, from primary school to adulthood, follow one another. The film tells discrimination in the language of comedy. Ernest tries different ways of fitting in and each produces another problem; the narrative gives this not as complaint but as an everyday condition. The director adapted his own book and plays the lead. The tone is light without brushing the subject aside. The film found a wide audience in Indonesia. Who it's for: those who like Indonesian comedy and narratives of identity. Who it's not for: viewers expecting the subject treated seriously; the film keeps the comedy in front.