Film 'Laut Bercerita' Enlists Photojournalists for Authentic Visuals of 1998 Tragedy

Director Yosep Anggi Noen sought to imbue his film "Laut Bercerita" with authentic visual nuance, particularly concerning the grim atmosphere of the 1998 disappearances. To achieve this, he enlisted the expertise of photojournalists, aiming to capture the emotional weight of activist disappearances with striking realism.

Noen involved two senior photojournalists, each representing a specific photographer character within the film. This decision was crucial for accurately depicting the camera angles, movements, and journalistic techniques used during past events on the big screen. However, the identities of these photojournalists remain under embargo until closer to the film's release.

The production encountered significant internal challenges in recreating the visual elements of a past era, where details like streetscapes, interiors, and clothing are difficult to find. Noen humorously likened the crew's dedication to recreating a cornfield, similar to director Christopher Nolan's approach in "Interstellar." The team spent months planting corn on a large plot of land to achieve the precise height needed for a scene, only to discover later that it was livestock corn.