Sound Screen: Margin x La Munai x Irama Nusantara

About

Today's film and music scenes are buzzing. Across towns, independent venues continue to

nurture a diverse music culture, while third spaces increasingly host public programmes that

bring together different art forms. This ranges from collaborations between poetry and music,

theatre and literature, film and sound art, to dance and music.

Yet despite this energy, film and music often grow in parallel rather than together. Music events

tend to revolve around live performance, while film programmes rarely explore music

beyond its role as a soundtrack or subject. Bringing these communities into dialogue opens up

new ways of thinking about music—not only as sound, but as image, memory, archive,

identity, and social history. The good news is that both film and music communities are eager

for fresh ideas and opportunities to learn from one another.

Margin Library, LaMunai Records, and Irama Nusantara believe there is value in creating a

space where film and music meet in more meaningful ways. Through Music on Screen, we invite

audiences to engage with cinema beyond the screen and with music beyond listening. The

programme creates a shared stage where both art forms can enrich one another, fostering

dialogue across disciplines, and encouraging new ways of experiencing music through film, and

film through music.

Our programme celebrates music in all its forms (but not limited to):

● Films inspired by musical works

● Music documentaries

● Portraits of musicians

● Music videos

● Live performances

● Indonesia’s audiovisual music archives

At its heart, Music on Screen is about building connections—between cinema and music, artists

and audiences, and the memories, histories, and collective experiences they carry.

Schedule

Day 1: Saturday, 8 August

Session 1: 15.00-17.30

KATHLEEN MALAY Film screening + Deep dive discussion

• A compilation of works by Kathleen Malay on her music documentary and music video works – 53’

  • Galura Tropikalia Alive (The Panturas)

  • Methanol (Rollfast)

  • The Truth is Coming Out (The Brandals)

  • Genderuwo (Gabber Modus Operandi) 

  • Dead Riot (Ora Iso)

• Deep dive discussion with Kathleen Malay on Making films based on musical works – 97’

Moderator: Julita Pratiwi

Session 2: 18.00-21.30

SENYAWA Special show

• Film screening: Membaladakan Keselamatan (dir. Reza Darwin) – 60’

• Deep dive discussion with Rully Shabara on Experimenting with sounds, images, and audience – 60’

• Live performance: Bing Renang – 45’

• Live performance: Senyawa – 45’

Moderator: Shindu Alpito

Day 2: Sunday, 9 August

Session 1: 16.00-18.15

ADYTHIA UTAMA Film screening  + Deep dive discussion

• Film screening: A Distorted Individual, an autobiographical documentary about the underground music scene in Indonesia directed by Adythia Utama – 93’

• Deep dive discussion with Adythia Utama on Storytelling for underground music – 42’

Moderator: David Tarigan

Session 2: 18.30-21.30

MUSIK MILES FILMS Film screening + Deep dive discussion with Irama Nusantara x Kelas Liarsip

• Film screening: Kuldesak, a dark anthology of 1998, a movement and a turning point to the pop culture in Indonesia produced by Riri Riza, Mira Lesmana, Nan Achnas, and Rizal Mantovani – 110’

• Deep dive discussion with speakers from Musik Miles Films Exhibition: Riri Riza and Irama Nusantara x Kelas Liarsip: Gerry Apriryan and Julita Pratiwi as research & curatorial team of the exhibition on Creating sound for film: a retrospective through the archives – 70’

Moderator: Dimas Ario