REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Filmmaker Anto Galon stated his apology following massive protest over Kau adalah Aku yang Lain (You are the other Me). The film won Police Movie Festival 2017.
"I have no intention to discredit Islam nor Muslims in Indonesia," Anto said to Republika.co.id on Friday (June 30).
According to Anto, he was worried about the attitude of unscrupulous Muslims who do not reflect the teachings of Islam. It inspired him to create the script of Kau adalah Aku yang Lain as the theme of Police Film Festival 2017 was "Unity in Diversity".
"I believe Islam is gentle, tolerant and affectionate," he remarked.
Anto claimed to self-financing the budget of filmmaking. He also got help from police officer Edigio Fernando as producer.
To illustrate the unscrupulous Muslim, Anto created the figure of 'Mbah', an old man who think differently from other congregations. Mbah was the one and only antagonist in the short film. "Islamic teachings is not as understood by Mbah," Anto explained.
In the scene, Mbah refused to give access to an ambulance carrying a Christian patient. The main road was closed due to bridge renovation. The ambulance had to turn to alternate route, passing a road that was closed for Muslims sermon.
Anto admitted the scene could trigger polemic. "But it was just a frame in the film, so we needed to see the whole film. We did not see any illustration of Islam as the Mbah believed," he said.
Furthermore, Anto confirmed the dialogue between Mbah, police officer, and other Muslim. At the end of the story, Anto illustrated, based on humanity the congregation opened the road for the ambulance.
Why should there be the Mbah figure? Anto thought the figure of Mbah always exist in every community. Therefore, he would like to put Mbah as example to differ which is right and wrong.
"Mbah's way of thinking is wrong and the other is right," he said.
Anto said he intended to bring out the idea of an ambulance trying to pass the road that was closed for Muslim sermon. He wanted to show that Islam respects humanity, did not teach its followers to differ other based on religious belief in the humanity realm.
"I swear to God, there's no way I would defame my own religion. I'm a Muslim and afraid of God's curse," he said.
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