People with Disabilities in the Landscape of Cinema: Unraveling Stigma & Representation Across the Spectrum
Under the moonlight that fell at the end of August, the humid air enveloped the southern part of Jogja City. The sounds of nature's melody broke through the silence of the Saturday night. A vast expanse of rice fields stretched out, the pillars of the pavilion shining brightly accompanied by the aroma of ginger tea and the warm chatter of a group of people. A screen was also set up, projecting a title that read 'Suara Nada: Discussion on Disability, Stigma, and Cinema'. That night, the collective 'Layarin Aja' held a film screening at the Balai Budaya Karang Kitri, located in Panggungharjo Village, Bantul Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta.
Art and disability are closely intertwined, especially in Jogja City and its surroundings. Since the Jogja Disability Arts Foundation was established, various activations and interdisciplinary art exhibitions have emerged in various spaces. Specifically that night, on August 31, 2024, the issue of disability resonated through the realm of cinema.
Several mats were laid out, and I took a seat on the floor not far from the screen. The pavilion darkened on its own, marking the official start of the film screening. The conductor of the angklung ensemble seemed determined as he waved his hands, signaling to organize the rehearsal session. With reverence, I felt how clear the sound quality was produced during the film screening that night. A place called Sanggar Warna served as the backdrop for the story, becoming a space to hone artistic skills and cultivate the aesthetic emotions of its inhabitants.
Nada, a resilient woman trained at Sanggar Warna, would later become the successor to lead the studio. She is a talented dancer with a strong fighting spirit in the arts. I feel that for her, moving her body in dance is nothing less than an expression, a voice, and a catalyst for self-discovery.
After the rehearsal session, Nada expressed her anxiety to Uwak using sign language. As a deaf person, Nada was unsure of her capabilities. This included certain sessions when Uwak asked Nada to replace him as the leader of the rehearsal; Nada often faced difficulties. The story continued, as it turned out that the COVID pandemic became one of the sources of conflict. The combined performance of drama, dance, and music titled 'Bima Sakti', which had been prepared by the studio, was threatened with cancellation. Nada bore the disappointment; she wanted the performance to continue. Meanwhile, Uwak returned to his hometown, leaving the studio and surrendering to the paralysis of the performing arts ecosystem.
When Nada was on the phone with her older sister, I was struck by their conversation. Her sister urged Nada to find another job. However, with a bitter expression and hand movements, the younger sister conveyed that all she could do was art. I realized that the performance stage had become the sector most affected when forms of direct and physical interaction were no longer possible. As an art activist, I also felt the weight of living during the pandemic, just like Nada who worked at Sanggar Warna.
Determined to ensure the performance could continue, Nada intended to sell the legendary angklung owned by the studio to finance the production process. Unfortunately, not all studio members had the same courage to continue preparations. Each slowly withdrew, including dancers, actors, musicians, and stage managers who were not satisfied being trained by Nada, whether due to communication limitations or her training methods being different from Uwak's. Figures like Cahyo, Asa, and Ruth played important roles in Nada's ups and downs. Asa, who had previously studied at the studio, introduced Nada to Ruth, the investor willing to fund the performance. Meanwhile, Cahyo was the only friend in the studio fluent in sign language and faithfully accompanied Nada.
In the middle of the film, conflicts began to arise one after another. Ruth did not see progress in the preparations for the performance, so 'Eneng', the legendary angklung owned by the studio, had to be taken away as compensation. Uwak was angry and disappointed, believing that Nada did not understand anything about Sanggar Warna and was cruel enough to let go of 'Eneng' just for her personal ambition. Asa, who initially had great faith in Nada's dream, gradually demanded that Nada be more realistic. When they argued at home, Dini, her biological sister, cruelly said that deaf people should not have dreams of becoming dancers.
The heaviest chapter seemed merciless. After some time, Nada understood how selfish her desires had been. Sanggar Warna was planned to be sold to address the economic crisis caused by the pandemic. There was no longer hope or a bright future for the performing arts in that place. Under the night sky and the thick solitude, Nada took her position on stage. Her body moved to guide her hands to sway gently, reflecting on various events that had struck her over time since the pandemic began. Suddenly, Cahyo arrived, assuring Nada that he supported her.
The film continued, and the idea of an online performance emerged when Dini visited the studio. She apologized to Nada, the only sister she had tried to understand throughout her life. Inspired by the idea of a virtual concert, Cahyo invited Asa to get involved. They designed a dance performance concept accompanied by acoustic guitar. Asa played the guitar, accompanying the dance movements performed by Nada in a virtual concert. News of this concert then reached the ears of famous musicians, including Reza Artamevia, Gilang Ramadhan, and Purwacaraka, who also collaborated. Each responded and aligned their music for the dance performance that Nada presented live. Uwak suddenly arrived, hugged Nada, and led the performance, concluding the film Suara Nada, which was met with thunderous applause from the audience.
As an academic who has been active with disability arts foundations, Budi Irawanto viewed this film as a projection of non-disabled anxiety. The film screening captured the tragedy and helplessness of a person with disabilities. In the discussion session, Budi, as a speaker who holds the title of president of the Jogja Netpac Asian Film Festival, also noted that people with disabilities have not yet become the main subjects in films, thus this film offers the opposite. However, on the other hand, there is an inconsistency that arises, especially in the choice of actors who are not disabled in real life. The involvement of people with disabilities is still considered minimal in the realm of cinema, both in front of and behind the scenes.
Referring to the keyword 'stigma' in the film discussion that night, do film producers circulating in the industry still stigmatize them as individuals who are powerless and cannot do anything? According to Budi, it is not just about representation in films, but friends with disabilities should also be involved in the film production process. In line with this, Bangkit, the head of the Sawit hamlet in Panggungharjo village, is working to ensure that the village can accompany and empower friends with disabilities in various sectors and forums, including in community meetings and waste management activities.
One audience member viewed the image of people with disabilities in the film as figures who always need help and are abandoned, including Nada, whose character development is shaped by those closest to her. There has yet to be a film or representation that portrays people with disabilities as autonomous figures and agents of change. A visually impaired friend also commented while sharing his experience. As a film activist, there are jeers that ask why make a film when their eyes cannot see.
Another visually impaired friend shared his experience of being an actor on a theater stage, but playing a non-disabled character. Is it possible to create a film with non-disabled characters but played by disabled actors? In response, Budi stated that film is multi-sensory; visually impaired individuals have the right to make and enjoy films. This includes receiving supporting facilities such as narrators who describe visual events in films. The world of acting itself has not involved people with disabilities to portray themselves. The hope is that conditions will gradually change as more independent films begin to involve them.
There is a specific cultural uniqueness from friends with disabilities. Strong research is needed to portray their conditions as accurately as possible on the cinema screen. Two-way dialogue and non-exploitative collaboration are key to ensuring that the anxieties and experiences of people with disabilities are fully voiced. Sometimes, a filmmaker is hindered by segmentation and profit, making the exploration area narrow. This film ultimately only faithfully represents a fragment of the lives of people with disabilities and is predominantly aimed at audiences who are not disabled.
That night, I recalled my experiences from the past year. While conducting research on art and disability, I concluded that art is the most subtle medium for narrating and expressing. Individuals with disabilities do not want to be seen from their shortcomings or to make people cry with emotion. They want to be viewed from their works, just like Leonardo Da Vinci, who also had disabilities but was recognized worldwide for his world-renowned paintings. Can people with disabilities achieve equality and self-perfection through art? Through the cinema discussion I attended, I feel that we can still look forward to that opportunity and hope. Not just accepting them as part of us, but also taking part in narrating their stories.
*This article is a re-upload from Kumparan, September 2, 2024.