Cemara's Family

In many ways "Cemara's Family" (2018) is not a whole lot different than typical family dramas found in the English speaking world, but it offers a little different perspective.  Netflix had seen it worth their while to seek out foreign films and they are now offering movies from Indonesia.  This is the third one this year for me with the first two included a religious theme, but this one is much more secular.  It follows a very popular tv series of the same name.

It has a familiar formula.  A family encounters a major problem, in this case an unfair bankruptcy and have to adjust.  They end up moving from a big city to a rural area and for awhile there is an uncomfortable feeling especially with the 13 year old daughter.

You know somehow they will get to appreciate the joys of country living, but there are a few obstacles.  The one with the biggest problem is the eldest daughter, Euis who is made fun of.  She already has more education than her classmates who seem to hold that against her.  In one memorable scene she is exposed having her first period which draws further derision.  My thoughts on the rural/urban divide:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2020/10/what-about-those-hicks.html

A turning point for Euis is when she decided to defy her father and visit friends who have come to a nearby town for a dance competition.  Euis had belonged to what might be called a girl band dance group and really enjoyed it.  However. her friends with her replacement seemed too artificial to her and she went back home and apologized to her father.

The father finally gives in to what he felt his daughters wanted, but was surprised to learn they had changed their minds and didn't want to move.  He is mostly calm and reasonable, but pushes ahead despite crying and protests from the three women in his family.  You can easily imagine that there will be a happy ending, but there are a few twists and turns.  I am looking forward to the sequel which should be available this year.

Ginatri S. Noer is the a co-writer and producer.  She had written for "Habibie & Ainum" (2012).  Born in Madagascar.

Yandy Laurens directed and co-wrote the script.

Music was handled by Ifa Fachir which included two new songs by a new favorite singer Bunga Cintra Lestari who starred in and sang a memorable song with  "Habibie & Ainum".  Fachir also wrote the music for the sequel,  "Keluarga Cemara 2." (2022)

Robie Taswin did the cinematography and Hendra Adhi Susanri was the editor.

Ringgo Agus Rahman plays the mostly calm father who occasionally vents his frustration.

Nirina Zubir played the mother who gives birth to a third child.

Adhisty Zara played Euis, the elder daughter while Widuri Sasono played the younger daughter.  The title "Cemara's family" implies that the youngest daughter is the focal point as Cemera is the long form of the youngest daughter who everyone calls Ara.  I would argue her older sister has more dramatic range, but perhaps that is a clue that from the tv series that the sequel will shift its focus.  All four family roles are repeated with the same actors for the sequel that should be accessible soon.

Indonesia is a large country with a population over 270 million, so it should not be surprising that they have developed a noteworthy cinema.

What about those "hicks"

A tv pundit before the election pointed out that many liberals who would be aghast at prejudice against blacks, gays or other minorities really look down upon rural residents.  Michael Ignatieff author and former leader of the Canadian Liberal Party realized the biggest divide in Canada was between rural and urban citizens.  Read more: http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2014/04/fire-and-ashes-by-michael-ignatieff.html

I lived in a small, but well off city Oshawa until my last two years of high school which were completed in Haliburton, a touristy rural area. Afterwards visited my parents for a few years and had one friend still there, but when my parents moved I only visited as a salesman. 

At the University of Guelph, known for its agriculture and veterinarian programs I of course met lots of Aggie students.  They were not at all stupid, or unsophisticated (for the most part).  After graduating and several jobs I found myself as a salesman who very often worked in small towns and rural areas as my prospects were mainly pet stores, feed stores,veterinarians and tack shops.  I found more success in smaller centres, partly because I felt more comfortable.  In the cities the buyers were hardened to sales people as they saw many, many of whom were aggressive.   In smaller areas many of the buyers seemed grateful that someone would take the trouble to visit them.

Were there other differences?  Certainly.  Country music which I had avoided was popular.  Gun culture was more noticeable, but connected to hunting.  A big difference was that most people did not lock their house or car doors.  Everybody knew everybody and in general were more friendly.  I found myself liking some country music, tolerated friends who liked to hunt and adapted in other ways.  My urban girl friend (now my wife) was shocked at my casual attitude about going outdoors in the dark.  More thoughts from my experiences:http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2014/10/the-rural-urban-divide.html

A couple of developments highlighted some differences between rural and urban citizens.  A few years back the Ontario government which was Liberal decided they would shut down some gambling sites located at racetracks known as Slots.  They had been a source of money for the racetracks (and local municipalities, etc.) and had propped up horse owners and race track employees.  This was very upsetting to the race horse trade as it was threatening to jobs and breeding programs.  The government maintained that it only hurt fat cat owners, but in fact it threatened about 50,000 workers and many municipal budgets.  Apparently the provincial government had been lobbied by American casino interests who were hurt by the racetrack competition, most notably in Windsor, Sarnia and Fort Erie, all border towns.  The Slots policy had little impact on Liberal voters who were mostly located in urban voting districts.  The rural areas were mostly strong Conservative voting areas.  At the time the Liberal party was not hurt by this policy.

To any Americans it should be noted that the labels liberal and conservative did indicate political party preferences, but there was overlap at the party level with many voters of both parties being centrists.  The socialist party, the New Democrats were also strongest in urban centres and were not as concerned about the racetrack impacts.

Another interesting difference was noted when I got involved with selling tooth brushes for dogs.  As you might imagine it was a hard sell.  Strangely I had more success in urban areas where many city dwellers could understand the health advantages of brushing the teeth of their beloved pets.  I later learned there were social benefits that would reduce dog bites.  Still most city people felt the idea of sticking their hands in a dog's mouth was yucky.  Rural people, especially farmers saw no problem with handling animals in their mouths, but thought the brushing idea ridiculous and I got laughed at a lot.  They were hardened to treating animals as commodities for either food or work.   Read more:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/06/rural-and-urban-contrasts-towards-pets.html

I am now well past my high school years and the world has changed.  But one trend is still happening and that is urbanization.  With that, many rural migrants feel they have lost something and a few urban dwellers tire of the rat race.  With the mass media we all are little more turned on by country music trends.  Urban crime (in the media) especially in the States has many people concerned about protection. 

I remember reading a book by Norman Vincent Peale where he pointed out that in cities it is easier for people to find other like minded people than it is in rural areas.  My last two years of high school reinforced this notion.  Most of the students were bused in from a huge area and that restricted after school activities.  My basketball team attracted those who walked to school (like myself) and those with parents/friends who could drive them after games and practices.  I found myself socializing with a wider range of ages than I had in the city.  Young people were aware of many city attractions and many yearned to leave for the city lights and jobs.  Often a student would find in universities and colleges new ideas not compatible with their upbringing.

Looking at the United States the rural urban divide is very real.  The Constitution has made small states and rural areas disproportionately powerful and it has caused the majority of voters, losses they find hard to accept.  One example would be the composition of the Supreme Court that has been set to the advantage of small states and rural voters.  That one institution has rippling effects concerning gun rights, abortions, welfare, elections and voting rights, etc.  Some would argue that such power hurts everyone.

Rural people are not stupid, and contribute to the welfare of urbanites that are not always appreciated.  Food is one very obvious one and many city dwellers have little idea where their packaged food comes from.  A slower pace of life in an insane world has its merits.  I once worked for a company that discovered that their best managers came from small towns and rural areas which is how I got hired.  Country people are thought to have a good work ethic.

In Canada we have had exchange programs where French and English students live in another language.  On an international scale student have lived in foreign countries.  These exchange programs help us understand other people.  Many urban children would have their eyes opened by more contact with their rural citizens.  At the time when my parents "forced" me to move to a small town in a rural area I was very resentful, but looking back it was one of most important moves of my life.  We would all benefit if we could better understand those country hicks or city slickers.

The photo is of city folks visiting a rural area.

What happens to farm animals when humans convert to veganism

I am not a vegan or a vegetarian, but like some others have been consciously reducing my meat intake.  Why is that?  Health is a concern and veganism has lot to commend itself.  Animal cruelty bothers an increasingly urban population.  In addition livestock are a very significant contributor to global warming.

Economics will trump everything when the price of meat increases faster than average incomes.   Read about a partial vegan diet, http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2013/11/vb6-vegan-before-6.html

Attitudes towards animals varies a great deal depending on whether you are urban or rural.  One of my jobs helped me appreciate the differences:   http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/06/rural-and-urban-contrasts-towards-pets.html

The bigger trend has been as people do have more money they prefer to eat meat.  Flavor, prestige and protein all factor in.  Urbanization encourages sensitivity for animal cruelty while at the same time it also desensitizes citizens removed from their ancient farming history.

Industrial farming has found ways to breed more animals on less real estate and converting forest resources to farming which is increasingly for grains to feed animals.   We are not getting our calories and proteins in the most economically efficient way.  For the wealthy it doesn't matter, but increasingly for the rest of us it will matter.

Unless demographic trends and attitudes change it is inevitable that meat will eat up more of our financial resources and once again become a luxury item.  If we get better control over fossil fuel's contribution to climate change, someone is sure to notice that farm animals are a huge contributor.

What will we do with the excess number of pigs, cows, sheep, etc?  Working with pet people concerned about homeless cats I learned of  neutering programs.  Feral cats were captured, neutered and then released  We don't really want a lot of pigs and cows running around the streets, but possibly a few will be seen as pets.  There has also been a trend to stop animals being tested for chemicals and behavior.

There is much concern about over population in the world and that refers almost exclusively to humans.  We pollute, waste resources.  Throw in overpopulated animals and we have to find ways to control our finite resources.  Of course someone will pipe up and say as we need to we will find a way.

There will be a sort of war at a bacterial level.  Wild animals and pets and domestic farm animals have all played a role in human diseases.  Hunters are given an opportunity to kill animals when authorities determine there are too many.  When some diseases threaten to go epidemic authorities order killings on a large scale

Just throwing out some ideas about what is very likely to draw more attention in coming years.

Fire and Ashes by Michael Ignatieff

Michael Ignatieff recently spoke on radio programs and got my attention enough to reserve his book.  It is very thin compared to other political memoirs, but is also very humble and insightful.

Years ago I had seen him on "The Big Idea" on TVO.  The depth of his thinking impressed me, not at all like a politician trying to get votes.

In reality he had lived a well respected comfortable life in academic circles and had been lured back into politics.  He wanted to make a difference, but was unprepared for the dirty world of politics.  Many insiders admired his intellect, but although Canadians are not as anti-intellectual as Americans we still expect something else.

Michael had been well known for his choice of words and expressing himself, but found himself trapped by words.  As he learned, every word can be mis-interpreted or turned against you.  A voter's perception can hinge on small details, often details that are irrelevant.

As he listened and observed his education of reality built up.  As he became opposition leader his adversaries paid for tv ads denouncing Michael as a visitor.  He had in fact been challenged as an intellectual who did no action.  His return to Canada was to be active.  His family and himself had a history for helping Canadians.

Still he was as he admitted pretty naive.  He came to realize that more important than knowledge was connections.  A contrast came from former room mate Bob Rae who had not only learned a lot of street political smarts, but built up a lot of connections.  They clashed and it probably benefited no one.

One notion that penetrated his brain gradually was that there is a divide in Canada (and other nations) between urban and rural.  That hit a personal nerve as I have lived (and to some degree worked) in rural and small towns as well as big cities and now live in Hamilton, formerly known for its industry.  At my Haliburton high school more than 45 years ago a teacher asked how many expected to work in that area after graduating.  Only two of twenty stuck up their hands and they both had fathers who owned grocery stores.  Michael noticed that many of our resources (sources for wealth) were in remote parts of the country like mines and forests, but that to have a better life many rural people felt they had to go to a big city.  To read more of my personal experiences with the rural-urban divide:
http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2014/10/the-rural-urban-divide.html

Michael's book is not bitter, although he recounts enough things to embitter most of us.  He is humble and urges the importance of being involved in politics.  There are a lot of noteworthy thoughts in this slim book.  Canada has lost a man of integrity and intelligence.  One hopes that politics can find room to identify more people of his caliber and nurture them instead of grinding them up.

A subsequent post of Michael"  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2018/04/the-ordinary-virtues.html