Memories of My Body


Memories of My Body is a 2018 Indonesian coming-of-age drama film directed by Garin Nugroho. It was selected as the Indonesian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards, but it was not nominated. It is inspired by the life of dancer and actor Rianto, a young performer comes of age and explores his sexuality.

Plot

The film is broken down to four parts about Juno's story, in a coming-of-age style. His own name shows two sides of a coin, depicting the gods Pandu and Kunti in the epic poetry Mahabharata and a closeted child trying to come out.
In the first part in the 1980s, young Juno lived without the presence of his parents. His father left him due to the 1965 massacre to reform their life. Juno's village is famous with the Lengger dance, in which Juno admires it, to the point where Juno participated in it. The dance involves him cross-dressing. Juno then regretted as his arrogant teacher taught him in a sexual tone. He is forced to see his teacher's wife's vagina—that is said to be "the picture of life". Juno then witnessed his teacher implementing death row to a child—caught cheating—with a sickle.
In the second part, Juno moved to his aunt's house, and found a "talent" of detecting chicken's fertility by inserting his finger to the genitals, which caused anger in his aunt. Meanwhile, he followed a dance class with a caring teacher. One day, she asked Juno to carress her breast. Consequently, she was protested by the villagers for unethical actions.
In the third part, teenager Juno fell in love with a boxer with a stunning body. Juno vibrates uncontrollably seeing him, trying to define what a "true man" is.
In the last part, adult Juno remained being in the village dance group, but was hated by a politician in the village. Due to being rejected in mating with an older dancer, Juno does not only face the anger from his fellow dancer, but also the people he loved.

Cast