Jakarta. When “Dua Garis Biru” (‘Two Blue Stripes’) hit Indonesian theaters a few years ago, the teen drama film immediately made headlines for tackling the taboo topic of teen pregnancy. Fast forward to 2024, the infirmary scene remains one of the moments to remember in Indonesian cinema. 

Directed by Gina S Noer, “Dua Garis Biru'' follows the story of high school sweethearts: Bima (Angga Yunanda) and Dara (Adhisty Zara). Their love story hits a bumpy road when Dara gets pregnant with Bima’s child. But it is only after the young Dara is taken to the school infirmary --after her head accidentally gets hit by a ball-- that both of the teens’ parents learn the truth. 

Shot in a long take, the infirmary scene starts with Dara’s parents --dad David (Dwi Sasono) and mom Rika (Lulu Tobing)-- barging into the room to see their daughter. 

The long take -- a technique in which the camera runs without interruption or cuts -- gives the audience a sense of being there in the room. The camera moves around the infirmary as the dialogues between the concerned parents overlap. Emotions -- be it anger, disappointment, fear, or parental love -- run high. 

The uninterrupted shot also captures the impeccable acting of the two mothers.  

Bima’s mother Yuni (Cut Mini) is more accepting of the circumstances, telling the other family that they share the responsibility of taking care of the young parents and their children. The scream that she lets out when Bima is too stunned to speak still sends chills to my spine to this day. We can tell that the scream is coming out of a place of love. 

On the other hand, we have Dara’s mother Rika who is more realistic about the situation. Both Dara and Bima are still in high school, meaning they are still far from ready to be parents. Rika is aware that in conservative Indonesia, the studious Dara’s adolescent pregnancy can have dire consequences on her education, not to mention that teen moms tend to face greater societal pressure compared to men. And let’s not forget Lulu’s flawless delivery of the line: “Do you think it is easy to be a parent, huh? Even I failed as one!” That line alone, coupled with her acting, shows that Rika as a mother is also blaming herself for what had happened. 

As for the acoustic department, the scene uses piano melodies that gradually get louder as the scene progresses. It starts with no music -- just the sound of Rika banging the doors and eventually a dialogue of David confronting Bima. However, the piano sounds start as soon as Bima’s mother -- the more accepting parental figure-- walks in, telling David to treat Bima like his own son.  The music complements how all the characters are feeling in the room. Again, thanks to the long take, we --the audience-- feel that we are witnessing everything right in front of our own eyes. The sudden school bell ringing in the middle of an intense confrontation catches the audience off-guard as if we are also in that infirmary. 

The scene does not forget to include small details without cutting the long take. As the scene nears its end, the headmaster -- along with a PE teacher-- enters the infirmary. The dialogue immediately shifts from Bima’s parental responsibility to Dara’s education. Rika tells Dara that she has been expelled from school, while Bima goes unpunished.

The mother accuses the school of only caring about its reputation. As Rika argues with the headmaster, we can see students trying to eavesdrop from the window. The teacher in the background immediately closes the curtains, implicitly proving Rika’s suspicions that the school cares more about its reputation than its students. This is a good way of telling a story using minor characters -- ones with no lines at that -- and also without having to cut the long take. 

All these elements --  the long take, camerawork, acting, dialogue, sound, and small details -- make the infirmary scene into something incredibly immersive. You are in the room watching this scene unfold. It is as if you --  the viewer  -- are also part of the story. It is as if you are the one who is getting scolded by your own parents. 

The sequel “Dua Hati Biru” (‘Two Blue Hearts’) will hit Indonesian theaters on April 17. The story is expected to take place about a few years after the child Adam is born. Angga will return as Bima, while young actress Aisha Nurra Datau will take over Dara’s role. Only time will tell whether “Dua Hati Biru” can come up with something as well-executed as its prequel’s infirmary scene.