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Therefore I Am

A simple-minded man wants to keep his name, but his superstitious family thinks it brings bad luck.

synopsis

40-year-old Pipit is a simple and honest man living and working as a parking attendant in a market, who finds happiness in helping others. One day he meets Harris, a Prop Master who is desperately looking for a particular film prop. Pipit promises to help, but suddenly his wealthy and superstitious siblings come and forcefully take him home. Embarrassed by his current situation, they want Pipit to undergo a name-changing ceremony, believing it will alter not only his destiny, but importantly theirs, for the better. Pipit does not really mind, but his main concern is his unfulfilled promise to Harris. Pipit flees from his siblings to help Harris. Grasping his genuine nature, Harris tricks Pipit into joining the film production in another city, thinking he can be a tool to fulfil his malicious ambition. During the production, Pipit’s kindness not only affects Harris but other crew members in the production as well, leading to both tragedy and hilarity. Pipit is soon left abandoned and returns home. The siblings immediately carry out the name-changing ceremony for him. Will Pipit have a better life?

Director’statement

There is a traditional ritual in Indonesia, in which a person undergoes a name-changing process for better luck in life. The ritual is usually held when a person is considered ill-fated, unworthy, or unhappy. By changing his or her name, it is hoped that all the bad luck in the person’s life will be cast away. Pipit, the film’s protagonist, is inspired by the life of my uncle, a happy man who enjoys life as it is, but was forced by the family to go through a name-changing ritual in the hope of a more fortunate life. I believe that a person is born as a free being. He has many choices to add values to his own life. Unfortunately, our world today is obsessed with self-image and ambition. Someone’s personality can be considered as wrong and needs to be changed to meet the approval of others. Therefore, a person can easily lose his true self. Pipit’s character in Therefore I Am is there to remind me to always stay true to myself.

TFL PROGRAMME:
ScriptLab 2018
Discover more details here:
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TFL Catalogue 2018

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