Wikipedia

A Note to God

For the 2011 film adaptation, see Surat Kecil untuk Tuhan.

A Note to God (Indonesian: Surat Kecil untuk Tuhan) is a 2017 Indonesian drama film produced by Falcon Pictures. Based on the novel of the same name by Agnes Davonar, it was directed by Fajar Bustomi and produced by Frederica, written by Upi and Bustomi, with Andreas Sullivan co-directing. The film stars the ensemble cast led by Bunga Citra Lestari, Joe Taslim, and Lukman Sardi. Set in the early 2000s, the story follows Anton (Azriel) and Angel (Khansa), the orphan siblings who were stuck in a syndication in which uses homeless children.

Surat Kecil untuk Tuhan
Indonesian theatrical release poster
Directed byFajar Bustomi
Screenplay byUpi Avianto
Story byFajar Bustomi
Based onSurat Kecil untuk Tuhan
by Agnes Davonar
Produced byFrederica
Starring
CinematographyYudi Datau
Edited byRyan Purwoko
Music byAndhika Triyadi
Production
company
Falcon Pictures
Release date
  • 25 June 2017 (2017-06-25) (Indonesia)
CountryIndonesia
LanguageIndonesian
BudgetRp10 billion
Box officeRp26,4 billion[1]

Following the release of My Stupid Boss, Upi began working on the project when the idea first started. She pitched the concept to Falcon to develop A Note to God, while the story is inspired by various family films, including Lion and Frozen. Development for Surat Kecil untuk Tuhan lasted for six months, on an approximate 10 billion Rupiah budget, and the film faced production difficulties, including story changes.

A Note to God was premiered on 20 June 2017, and was released in Indonesia five days after. The film received generally positive reviews, grossing 26,4 billion rupiah, making it the fifteenth highest-grossing Indonesian film of 2017. The film won Bandung Film Festival for Best Cinematography and AMI Award for Best Children's Album, respectively. It was also nominated for Citra Award for Best Child Performance and Indonesian Choice Award for Movie of the Year, in 2017 and 2018, respectively.

Plot

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In 2002, orphan siblings Anton and Angel were stuck in a syndicate, making them never know their beautiful childhood. Their uncle, Rudi, scolds them because they do not have money. Angel met her childhood friend, Mirna, and started to play in the playground. Suddenly, Asep and Rudi arrive and give them a punishment, in which Angel has blood on her legs, while Anton is singing on the street, then they go back home. Angel later meets Martin, who sitting in a wheelchair, while Martin's mother takes pictures with Anton, Angel, and Martin. Later, a roadway accident made Angel's separate from Anton. She no longer knew the way where her brother at.

Fifteen years later in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Angel grew up into a beautiful, smart adult woman, which makes her dreams as a lawyer come true. Here, Angel reunites Martin, a kind, young male doctor, making her fall in love, and her life is full of happiness. When Martin goes to the hospital, he tells the story of a pilot to Ricky, an aviation-loving young boy, who later dies due to heart cancer. Then Angel returns to Indonesia to meet Maria, an orphaned young girl. Later Angel finds Anton, who was surgery by Rudi, making Angel forgoing him for a long time.

Later, Angel reported her marriage with Martin, until she returns to Jakarta to find her brother. In the court, Rudi starts to tell the story about homeless children, then Angel continues most of it. A television news presenter reports an event about the human trade in front of a syndication surrounded by police lines, making Angel cry when she contacts Martin at the hotel in Sydney. Angel and Martin did activities at school until they returned home and cried throughout. Then, Angel went to Anton's graveyard after her brother died of a heart attack.

Cast

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  • Bunga Citra Lestari as Angel, a lawyer who forget her beautiful childhood
    • Izzati Khansa as young Angel
  • Joe Taslim as Martin, a young doctor who took the heart specialist
    • Yuvens as young Martin
  • Bima Azriel as Anton, Angel's elder brother
  • Lukman Sardi as Rudi
  • Aura Kasih as Ningsih
    • Avril Sigarlaki as young Ningsih
  • Rifnu Wikana as Asep
  • Ben Joshua as Joko
  • Maudy Koesnaedi as Soraya
  • Jeroen Lezer as Edward
  • Chew Kin Wah as Martin's father
  • Susan Bachtiar as Martin's mother
  • Dorman Borisman as Mr. Wiryawan
  • Kevin Bzezovski Taroreh as Ricky, a 10-year-old boy
  • Nadia Bulan Sofya as Mirna, Angel's childhood friend
  • Aqeela Calista as Maria, Angel's friend

Production

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Development

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The film's origins trace back to June 2016, when Falcon approached Upi about the pitch of the film adaptation following the success of her film My Stupid Boss.[2] Development for A Note to God lasted for six months, on an approximate 10 billion Rupiah budget, and the film faced production difficulties, including story changes.[3] On 28 April 2017, the official poster for the film was released,[4] followed by the official trailer in May.[5]

Writing

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My Stupid Boss director Upi Avianto was hired to write the screenplay.[6] Ultimately, Upi received "screenplay by" credit, while Bustomi received "story by" credit.

Lestari cited family films like Lion (2016) and Frozen (2013) as particular influences when she enjoyed leaning into the drama as a storytelling genre.[7][8]

Music

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Main article: Surat Kecil untuk Tuhan (soundtrack)

A full soundtrack album was released by Falcon Music on 19 May, a month before the film's release, and curated to represent Anton and Angel's childhood.[9] The children of the Purwa Caraka Music Studio Choir served as the soundtrack singers for the film, marking their first collaboration with Falcon Pictures. In the soundtrack session, Bustomi felt its songs "heartwarming" and "nostalgic", when they're inserted into the film, it brings the majestic ambience.[10] "Dengan Menyebut Nama Allah", written by Dwiki Dharmawan and Ags Arya Dipayana, was also used in the film, although it did not appear on the soundtrack album.[11]

Release

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Marketing

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The official trailer for the film was released on 31 May 2017.[12] Marketing A Note was considered difficult despite the enthusiasm of executives at Falcon for the film. Writing for Liputan 6, Aditia Saputra described this as "most expensive", spending over 10 billion rupiahs.[13]

Theatrical

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A Note to God received its gala premiere on 20 June 2017, five days before the official theatrical release.[14] In Indonesia, it was released with 20 Forever, Jailangkung and Insya Allah Sah.[15] In Malaysia, A Note released on 3 August through GSC Movies as the film's official distributor.[16]

Leak onto Instagram

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On 2 July 2017, clips of the film were illegally posted onto Syahrini's Instagram story until it was removed by moderators. The incident has raised concerns about Indonesian anti-piracy law of films.[17]

Reception

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Box office

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In Indonesia, A Note to God grossed over 26 billion rupiah. The film left theaters by August 2017, making it the year's fifteenth highest-grossing film.[1]

Critical response

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A Note received generally positive reviews from The Jakarta Post.[18]

Accolades

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At the 30th Bandung Film Festival, A Note won Best Cinematography. The film's other nominations include Citra Award for Best Child Performance,[19] Indonesian Choice Award for Movie of the Year,[20] and an AMI Award (which it won Best Children's Album).[21]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Kisah Pilu Film Surat Kecil untuk Tuhan". Bintang. Archived from the original on 6 May 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  2. ^ "Lagi, Novel Surat Kecil untuk Tuhan Akan Dibuat Film" [A Note to God novel readapted into another film]. Liputan 6. 24 June 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  3. ^ "Produksi Surat Kecil untuk Tuhan Telan Budget Miliaran Rupiah" [Production of Surat Kecil untuk Tuhan costs budget of billion rupiah]. Detik (in Indonesian). 5 June 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  4. ^ "Wajah BCL dan Joe Taslim Hiasi Poster Film "Surat Kecil Untuk Tuhan"". Tabloid Bintang. 28 April 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  5. ^ "Trailer Surat Cinta untuk Tuhan Bikin Baper". Fimela. 5 June 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  6. ^ "BCL Bintangi Surat Kecil untuk Tuhan, Produser: Ini Bukan Remake" [BCL stars A Note to God, producer: This is not a remake]. Tempo. 7 April 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  7. ^ "Film Surat Kecil untuk Tuhan Mirip Frozen?" [A Note to God copying Frozen?]. Liputan 6. 20 June 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  8. ^ "Surat Kecil untuk Tuhan Dinilai Mirip Lion, Ini Kata BCL". Detik. 17 May 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  9. ^ "Dramatis, Sutradara Pakai Paduan Suara di Surat Kecil untuk Tuhan" [Dramatic, the director used a choir in A Note to God]. Fimela (in Indonesian). 24 May 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  10. ^ "Dirilis, OST Surat Kecil untuk Tuhan Siap Ajak Nostalgia" [A Note to God soundtrack was released to invite everyone to bring back their memories]. Kapan Lagi. 30 May 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  11. ^ Bustomi, Fajar (25 June 2017). Surat Kecil untuk Tuhan (Motion picture) (in Indonesian). Falcon.
  12. ^ Saraswati, Dyah Paramita (31 May 2017). "'Surat Kecil untuk Tuhan' Rilis Trailer Pertama". Detik. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  13. ^ Saputra, Aditia (5 June 2017). "Promo Film Surat Kecil Untuk Tuhan Habiskan Puluhan Miliar". Liputan 6 (in Indonesian). Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  14. ^ "Premier Surat Kecil untuk Tuhan Ramai Diserbu Penonton". Detik Hot. 21 June 2017. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  15. ^ Afrisia, Rizky Sekar (25 June 2017). "Film Indonesia Kuasai Bioskop saat Lebaran". CNN Indonesia. Archived from the original on 25 June 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  16. ^ "Surat Kecil untuk Tuhan Siap Tayang di Malaysia" [A Note to God is prepared to release in Malaysia]. Kapan Lagi. 2 August 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  17. ^ "Syahrini Rekam Film Tanpa Izin, Joe Taslim Bilang" [Syahrini illegally recorded this film, Joe Taslim said]. JPNN. 2 July 2017. Archived from the original on 8 August 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  18. ^ Wiloto, Christhalia (26 July 2017). "'Surat Kecil Untuk Tuhan', or whoever is listening". The Jakarta Post. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  19. ^ Juniman, Puput Tripeni (6 October 2017). "Daftar Lengkap Nominasi Piala Citra FFI 2017". CNN Indonesia. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  20. ^ "Daftar Lengkap Nominasi Indonesian Choice Awards 5.0 NET". Archived from the original on 29 September 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  21. ^ Priherdityo, Endro (13 October 2017). "Daftar Lengkap Nominasi AMI 2017". CNN Indonesia. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
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