WHISPERS IN THE DABBAS / NYANYI SUNYI
DALAM RANTANG (Indonesia, 2025, 76′)

Wednesday, October 1st, at 6:30 p.m.; Cinema Romano, Screen 1

Event in partnership with Bar Association of Turin

National premiere

On Wednesday, October 1st, at 6:30 p.m., in Room 1 of the Cinema Romano, the movie Whispers in The Dabbas (Indonesia, 2025) by Indonesian director Garin Nugroho will be screened. This movie is based on four true episodes of injustice that occurred in Indonesia in the early 2000s, strongly exposing the corruption of power and the repression towards the most vulnerable. The movie was presented in the Harbour section of the 54th International Film Festival Rotterdam.

Event followed by a debate with Antonio Genovese (Counselor of the Turin Bar Association), Flavia Panzano (National Association of Judges) and Filippo Vallosio (Counselor of the Bar Association).

Admission method : you can access the event by purchasing tickets online or at Cinema Romano box office.

International title: Whispers in the Dabbas
Original title: Nyanyi sunyi dalam rantang
Director: Garin Nugroho
Screenplay: Garin Nugroho
Photography: Mandella Pracihara
Editing: Andhy Pulung
Sound: Charlie Meliala
Starring: Della Dartyan
Production: Padi Padi Creative

Four stories set in Indonesia over the first two decades of the 21st century represent the basis of Garin Nugroho’s new movie: with a neither journalistic nor pedagogic structure, yet taking inspiration from these two aspects. The film is a perfect representation of his poetic and strongly political style. Everything is perceived through the eyes of the protagonist Puspa, a young lawyer who works for a law firm and takes care of poor people accused of petty crimes, put on trial, sentenced and humiliated. Puspa gets personally involved in every single case, and quickly understands that nothing has changed from the previous regime. Due to her job, she confronts the corruption of those in power and the repression against the weak. A strong accusation, skillfully murmured, whispered, as the movie title suggests.

Garin Nugroho (Jakarta, 1961) started his cinema career in the mid-1980s, after completing his studies at the Cinema Academy in Jakarta. Since then, he has built a filmography that includes fiction, long feature films, documentaries, short films, essay films, setups. Nugroho is also a film critic for different newspapers in Indonesia and teaches at the University of Indonesia. He received several awards for his social and political commitment, as well as his artistic achievements.

Filmography (selection): Love Is in a Slice of Bread (1992), A Letter to an Angel (1994), And the Moon Dances (1995), Leaf on a Pillow (1998), My Family, My Films and My Nation (doc, 1998), Puisi Tak Terkuburkan (doc, 2000), Opera Jawa (2006), Under the Tree (2008), Teak Leaves at the Temples (doc, 2008), The Blindfold (2012), Nyai: A Woman from Jawa (2016), Setan Jawa (2017),  Memories of My Body (2018), Badrun & Loundri (2023),  Samsara (2024),  Whispers in the Dabbas (2025).