Mereka Bilang, Saya Monyet!

Mereka Bilang, Saya Monyet!
A poster, showing an elongated tear. The words "Mereka Bilang, Saya Monyet!" are stenciled below.
Poster
Directed byDjenar Maesa Ayu
Written by
  • Djenar Maesa Ayu
  • Indra Herlambang
Based on
  • "Lintah"
  • "Melukis Jendela"
Produced by
  • Djenar Maesa Ayu
  • Riyadh Assegat
Starring
CinematographyRoby Taswin
Edited by
  • Wawan I. Wibowo
  • Arifin "Cuunk"
Music by
  • Titi Rajo Bintang
  • Wong Aksan
Distributed byIntimasi Production
Release date
  • 3 January 2008 (2008-01-03) (Indonesia)
Running time
83 minutes
CountryIndonesia
LanguageIndonesian
BudgetRp 620 million[1]

Mereka Bilang, Saya Monyet! (released internationally as They Say I'm a Monkey!) is a 2008 Indonesian film directed by Djenar Maesa Ayu. Starring Titi Rajo Bintang, Henidar Amroe, and Ray Sahetapi, it tells the life story of Adjeng, who was sexually abused as a child by her mother's boyfriend. Filmed over 18 days after several years of development, the film adapted two of Ayu's short stories from her debut anthology of the same name. Owing to its low budget of Rp 620 million,[a] its cast and crew were mostly amateurs and students, although several established actors appeared at reduced rates.

Mereka Bilang, Saya Monyet! has been described as "anti-Sjuman" because of the disparity between Ayu's more personal directing style and the social realism of her father, Sjumandjaja. Although commercially unsuccessful, the film was well received by critics. It won five national-level awards and was screened at several international film festivals. Two Indonesian publications, Tempo and The Jakarta Post, selected it as among the best films of 2008.


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