Leila S. Chudori Highlights Women’s Role in Keeping Hope Alive in Laut Bercerita

JAKARTA, JakartaWeekly.com – Writer Leila S. Chudori places female characters at the heart of the film Laut Bercerita, portraying them as vital figures in confronting loss, holding families together, and sustaining hope amid uncertainty over the fate of the disappeared.

Through the characters Kinan, the Mother, Asmara Jati, and Ratih Anjani, Leila explores different forms of female strength and resilience in the face of uncertainty and loss.

Leila said the female characters were inspired by real people she encountered while researching the story. Her meetings with activists, most of whom were men, made her realize the importance of portraying women who were also involved in the activist movement, including in strategic decision-making.

According to Leila, women were not merely figures on the periphery of activism but also played an important role in shaping the movement’s strategy. She therefore sought to portray female activists while paying attention to the small details that reflect their experiences.

In portraying a mother who has lost a child, Leila highlights how parents hold on to the belief that their child will one day return. That hope becomes a way for families to endure uncertainty, even as time passes without any answers about their child’s whereabouts.

“A mother can never bring herself to accept that her child is gone. In a parent’s eyes, it should be the mother who goes first. That’s the natural order of things,” Leila said.

She described how a family continues to set four plates at the dining table, drawing on a true story that inspired the narrative. The practice reflects how the family keeps a place for the missing child, as though their return remains possible.

For Leila, a mother’s strength lies in her ability to nurture the hope that her child will come home. The belief that one day the child might appear at the door becomes one way parents sustain their optimism in the face of a loss with no clear resolution.

Beyond the mother, Asmara also plays a crucial role in keeping the family going. Portrayed by Yunita Siregar, Asmara is depicted as a younger sister who must become one of the family’s pillars of strength while both parents struggle to cope with the loss of their child.

Leila believes the character needed to be portrayed as someone determined to carry on with life while continuing to search for her missing older brother. Her role represents a different form of female resilience from the way parents sustain hope.

Meanwhile, Ratih Anjani represents another form of resilience. Ratih finds her own way of holding on to the belief that her friends and Laut are still out there. Although her outlook does not always align with Asmara’s, their differences show how women each find their own ways to confront loss and preserve hope.

Laut Bercerita is set to open in Indonesian cinemas on October 29, 2026. The film stars Reza Rahadian, Yunita Siregar, Eva Celia, Christine Hakim, Arswendy Bening Swara, Dian Sastrowardoyo, Yoga Pratama, Kevin Julio, Ben Nugroho, Dewa Dayana, Nagra Pakusadewo, Ibnu Jamil, Natalius Chendana, and Afrian Arisandy.

The film is produced by Gita Fara, Leila S. Chudori, and Budi Setyarso. It is a Pal 8 Pictures production, with support from VMS Studio, Jagartha, Lynx Films, Gambar Gerak Film, and Brandlink.

Laut Bercerita is adapted from Leila S. Chudori’s novel of the same title. The screenplay was written by Leila in collaboration with Yosep Anggi Noen.

The film follows Biru Laut (Reza Rahadian), a university student who joins the Winatra group with several fellow students to fight for their vision of a democratic Indonesia.

Biru Laut and his fellow activists organize their movement as three other activists stand trial for reading and distributing banned books. They later become involved in supporting farmers facing various challenges.

The situation takes a turn when Biru Laut and several Winatra members suddenly disappear. Their families, friends, and loved ones then set out to find out what happened to them.

Biru Laut’s younger sister, Asmara Jati (Yunita Siregar), is among those who continue searching for answers about her brother’s whereabouts. The story also explores the experiences of families and loved ones who must confront loss while struggling to keep hope alive.