''Letters from Prague'' () is a 2016 Indonesian

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

directed by Angga Dwimas Sasongko. It was selected as the Indonesian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the

89th Academy Awards The 89th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best 2016 in film, films of 2016, and took place on February 26, 2017, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Californ ...

but it was not nominated.

Plot

The will of Sulastri Kusumaningrum, the mother of Kemala Dahayu Larasati (colloquially Laras), states that she

bequeathed A devise is the act of giving real property by will, traditionally referring to real property. A bequest is the act of giving property by will, usually referring to personal property. Today, the two words are often used interchangeably due to thei ...

her house to Laras, with the condition that she send a box of old letters to Mahdi Jayasri (colloquially Jaya), an old man living in

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

who works at a stage theater. Though eager of the bequest following her divorce with an unfaithful husband, Laras is reluctant of the condition, but nevertheless accepts. The

passive-aggressive Passive-aggressive behavior is characterized by a pattern of passive hostility and an avoidance of direct communication. Inaction where some action is socially customary is a typical passive-aggressive strategy (showing up late for functions, s ...

Jaya rejects the presence of the letters, then grieve alone. Laras angrily goes to a hotel, but finds herself in

culture shock Culture shock is an experience a person may have when one moves to a cultural environment which is different from one's own; it is also the personal disorientation a person may feel when experiencing an unfamiliar way of life due to immigration ...

, prompting Jaya to allow her to stay in his apartment. Alone, Laras decides to read the letters herself. It is revealed that Jaya was Sulastri's fiance who failed to fulfill his promise to return decades ago due to Indonesia's

transition to the New Order Transition or transitional may refer to: Mathematics, science, and technology Biology * Transition (genetics), a point mutation that changes a purine nucleotide to another purine (A ↔ G) or a pyrimidine nucleotide to another pyrimidine (C ↔ ...

, where

Suharto Suharto (8 June 1921 – 27 January 2008) was an Indonesian Officer (armed forces), military officer and politician, and dictator, who was the second and longest serving president of Indonesia, serving from 1967 to 1998. His 32 years rule, cha ...

opposers are banned from Indonesia. He, alongside three other peers, exited Indonesia via the

Port of Belawan The Port of Belawan ( zh, t=勿老灣, s=, poj=mài lau ôan) is a harbor in Medan, North Sumatra. Located on the northeast coast of Sumatra, Belawan is Indonesia's busiest seaport outside of Java. It includes Medan Belawan District, the most nor ...

emigrating to Czechoslovakia, living in exile in Prague. Laras concludes that her mother used to lock herself daily waiting for Jaya's return, harming her parents' psychology and household. Jaya says he refused to accept the letters as he had let go of his past, but after a painful lecture by Laras, he tearfully accepts. After cooling off the next day, Jaya invites Laras to a casual lunch, where she learns the internal, caring attitude Jaya has. Jaya later tells more of his stories to Laras, and the consequences of his opposition towards Suharto, though is satisfied with his decision. In exchange, Laras tells her stories to Jaya

offscreen The terms off-screen, off-camera, and off-stage refer to fictional events in theatre, television, or film which are not seen on stage or in frame, but are merely heard by the audience, or described (or implied) by the characters or narrator. Off ...

. Both feel an internal connection between them, leading to Jaya writing a song dedicated to Laras. Concluding the day, Jaya commits to treating Laras as his daughter; Laras accepts. The next morning, Laras tells Jaya to forgive the past and return to Indonesia. Jaya angrily confronts her, expressing hate towards Indonesia. Laras concludes that he is unable to forgive himself. Jaya reads a reply letter from Sulastri, where it is revealed that Laras' full name is the one Jaya wanted for her possible daughter. Sulastri purposefully told Laras to fly to Prague to send Jaya's letters, hoping that by meeting her, he can forgive the past and quell his anger. Jaya stops the fleeing Laras and they both reconcile.

Cast

Main

Tio Pakusadewo Kanjeng Raden Tumenggung Irwan Susetyo Pakusadewo or better known as Tio Pakusadewo (born in Jakarta, Indonesia on 2 September 1963) is an Indonesian actor of Javanese descent. Life and career Tio was born on 2 September 1963 in Jakarta. He sho ...

as Jaya : A former Indonesian student in the 1960s who was exiled in Prague *

Julie Estelle Julie Estelle Gasnier (born January 4, 1989), better known as Julie Estelle, is an Indonesian actress and model. She is best known internationally for her roles in slasher and martial arts films, such as Ladya in ''Macabre'' (2009), Hammer Girl ...

as Larasati : A divorced woman trying to fulfill her deceased mother's last wish to deliver a box filled with letters from her past to an old man living in Prague *

Widyawati Widyawati (born July 12, 1950) is an Indonesian actress. She is the widow of Indonesian actor, director and politician, Sophan Sophiaan. Her father in-law is the former Indonesian ambassador for the Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socia ...

as Sulastri : Larasati's mother and Jaya's former fiance *

Rio Dewanto Rio Dewanto (born in Jakarta, Indonesia on 28 August 1987) is an Indonesian actor and Model (person), model of Javanese people, Javanese descent. Career Rio Dewanto began his debut career as film actor when played his cameo role in the two films ...

as Dewa : An Indonesian student working as a part-time bartender in Prague

Supporting

Chicco Jerikho Chicco Jerikho Jarumillind (born 3 July 1984) is an Indonesian actor and film producer. In 2014, he received the Citra Award for Best Actor for his performance as Sani Tawainella in '' Lights from the East: I Am Maluku''. Early life Chicco Jerik ...

as Rama, Larasati's ex-husband *

Jajang C. Noer Lidia Djunita Pamontjak or better known as Jajang C. Noer (born 28 June 1952 in Paris, France) is a France-born Indonesian actress and film producer of Minangkabau people, Minangkabau descent. She is also the only daughter of Indonesian national i ...

* Shafira Umm

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Letters From Prague 2016 films 2016 drama films Indonesian drama films 2010s Indonesian-language films Films set in Prague Visinema Pictures films Indonesian-language drama films