Lovely Man

Plot

Lovely Man tells the story of Cahaya, a 19-year-old girl with strong Islamic values, who discovers that her long lost father is a transvestite working on the streets of Jakarta. The story unfolds over that one night as they walk the streets of Jakarta and explains how the encounter changes their lives, as they learn about love, loss and redemption.

Cahaya arrives in Jakarta from what can be assumed is her small town home just as the sun is setting. Armed with a piece of notepaper and a few rupiah, she’s in the city on a search for the father she hasn’t seen since she was four. Asking neighbors and shopkeepers in the area he lives in for Syaiful gets her blank stares in return. When they finally figure out she means Ipuy, they point her in the right direction and say he’s “working” around Taman Lawang (Jakarta's infamous spot for transgender sex workers). Cahaya, naturally, goes looking for an office building or store.

When she locates Ipuy (Damara), she finds a transvestite prostitute plying her trade on the streets. In the initial minutes after encountering each other, both are shocked at the turn of evens. The innocent Cahaya is crushed at her father’s choices; Ipuy is horrified to see the daughter he willfully left behind.

Cast

Production

The film is made with very low budget, which director Soeriaatmadja referred to as the "survival technique."

Release

The film had its world premiere at the 2011 Busan International Film Festival on the segment "A Window on Asian Cinema." The segment also screens Ari Sihasale's Serdadu Kumbang and Salaman Aristo's Jakarta Maghrib.

In October 2013, it was screened for the London Indonesian Film Screenings at the London University School of African and Oriental Studies (SOAS). Other films screened were Paul Agusta's Parts of the Heart, Eugene Panji's Cita-Citaku Setinggi Tanah, Rahung Nasution's Mentawai Tattoo Revival, Yosep Anggi Noen's Peculiar Vacation and Other Ilnesses, and Riri Riza's three features: Kuldesak, 3 Hari untuk Selamanya, and Atambua 39 Celcius.

In Indonesia, its release garnered controversy due to rejections from certain religious group but still saw limited release in several theaters throughout the country on 10 May 2012.

The film was screened in the following film festivals:

Reception

Film critics website Inspire Ground praises Soeriaatmadja's direction in regards to Cahaya and Syaiful's contradicting values for managing to make "both world combined and worked well [...] without having too much fantasy or too depressing." The review singled out Damara's performance as Syaiful/Ipuy, noting that " it was pretty shocking to see [Damara] as a transgender."

In a positive review, Elizabeth Kerr of The Hollywood Reporter also single out Damara's performance; calling it "Damara's show" while adding that "with his square jaw and heavy brow, Damara jettisons excessive mannerisms for little details (playing with his eyelashes, fidgeting with his wig) and stays respectful of Ipuy. He uses words as weapons and comports himself in a way that makes clear the status transgender people hold in the world. When he finally relates to Cahaya as Saiful, his ruggedly handsome features carry a melancholy that speaks to what happens after the film is over. Ipuy is in trouble with some local gangsters and after he sends Cahaya home with a promise never to contact him again, it’s clear how the story truly ends."

Accolades

The film received many awards and nominations both domestic and international. Donny Damara won rave reviews for his performance as Syaiful/Ipul; resulting in Best Actor accolade from Maya Awards, Asian Film Awards, and the Indonesian Oscar-equivalent Citra Awards. The film has been credited for reviving Damara's career as a film actor.