Hearts of Freedom

Konteks

Set during the revolution's darkest hour in early 1948, HEARTS OF FREEDOM follows a heroic band of cadets who become elite guerrilla soldiers following a 1947 massacre of their cadet classmates (a story based on the real-life battle that killed both of Hashim’s uncles in Lengkong in 1946). Portrayed brilliantly by an all-star cast of Indonesia’s most talented young actors: Donny Alamsyah, nominated for Best Actor for RED AND WHITE at the 2010 Bandung Film Festival; T. Rifnu Wikana and Lukman Sardi, nominated for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor for BLOOD OF EAGLES in the recent Indonesia Movie Awards; Aldy Zulfikar for Best Newcomer as the child soldier Budi; Rahayu Saraswati, winner of Best Actress at the 2009 Bali International Film Festival for RED AND WHITE; and Darius Sinathrya, who has his biggest role to date in this film.

Plot

After completing a tragic mission in which one of the band’s most beloved members is killed, the band’s loyalty to the cause is put to the ultimate test when their leader, Amir (Lukman Sardi) resigns from the Army in disgust. Leaderless and heartsick over their losses, the cadets carry their vendetta for revenge against the Dutch to the high seas in a dangerous mission to Bali, home island of the maimed mute Dayan (T. Rifnu Wikana), where they are sent to kill the Dutch militia Colonel Raymer (Michael Bell), who murdered the family of the band’s new leader Tomas (Donny Alamsyah) in the opening of RED AND WHITE. Facing the cannons of a Dutch PT boat, the hard-drinking playboy Marius (Darius Sinathrya) must overcome his fears as he rivals Tomas for the affections of the starchy aristocrat’s daughter Senja (Rahayu Saraswati).

Arriving in Bali, the band saves the woman Dayu (new cast member Ranggani Puspandya) from the ravages of Colonel Raymer’s KNIL militia, but one of the heroes is nearly killed. As their friend hovers between life and death, the band finds the underground caves of rebel leader Wayan Suta (played by the singer Nugie). Tomas clashes with their former commander, Amir (Lukman Sardi) as they plan a final assault against Raymer’s militia, raising the question: how far can the revolution go to defeat evil, and still retain its ideals?