They Call Me Babu Wins At JIFF
They Call Me Babu by Sandra Beerends receives special mention at Jakarta Independent Film Festival
Partly made possible with film material from the Eye Film archive, They Call Me Babu is an archival film, narrated by the fictional Alima, who worked as a nanny for a Dutch family during the colonial period of Indonesia. Nannies were called baboes and are the forgotten people during this period, as most of them did not have a name and were only mentioned as babu. Alima represents their stories. Sandra Beerends' documentary is recognised by the Jakarta Indepedent Film Festival with a special mention.
Alima tells her story of how she came to work for the family, taking care of their baby Jantje. She accompanies them for a short stay in the Netherlands. Upon her return, she lives through the Japanese occupation and the battle for Indonesia’s independence. Throughout these years, Alima is loyal to the child, but at the same time she is loyal to her lover Riboet, who is an independence fighter. Alima’s story coincides with the turbulent period between 1939 and 1949, that witnessed WWII, the Japanese occupation of the former Dutch East Indies and the Indonesian stride for independence from the Netherlands. In this rapidly changing world, Alima’s story is one of courage, conflicting loyalties, and new hopes. Beerends gives a voice to an untold story. The JIFF gives high praise for the documentary:
"A beautifully constructed archive documentary tackling the social issues of Indonesian women as babu (nanny) during the Dutch colonial era in Indonesia. We are taken on a first-person intimate storytelling by Alima, a fictional character that embodies the true stories of different babus in the past, which makes the film powerful and engaging. The film is an important look back into history, one that is easily forgotten."
The Jakarta Independent Film Festival showcases stories of different genres, styles, and from different countries to capture the imagination, talent, and diversity of independent filmmakers. This ‘special mention award’ is a recognition of having met the highest standard of excellence.
The documentary is produced by Pieter van Huystee Film & TV and NTR. Sales are handled by Films Transit.