? (also written Tanda Tanya, meaning Question Mark) is a 2011 Indonesian drama film directed by Hanung Bramantyo. It stars Revalina Sayuthi Temat, Reza Rahadian, Agus Kuncoro, Endhita, Rio Dewanto, and Hengky Sulaeman. The film focuses around Indonesia's religious pluralism, which often results in conflict between different beliefs, represented in a plot that revolves around the interactions of three families, one Buddhist, one Muslim, and one Catholic. After undergoing numerous hardships and the deaths of several family members in religious violence, they are reconciled.
Based on Bramantyo's experiences as a mixed-race child, ? was meant to counter the portrayal of Islam as a "radical religion". Owing to the film's theme of religious pluralism and controversial subject matter, Bramantyo had difficulty finding backing. Eventually, Mahaka Pictures put forth Rp 5 billion ($600,000) to fund the production. Filming began on 5 January 2011 in Semarang.
Released on 7 April 2011, ? was a critical and commercial success: it received favourable reviews and was viewed by more than 550,000 people. Also screened internationally, it was nominated for nine Citra Awards at the 2011 Indonesian Film Festival, winning one. However, several Indonesian Muslim groups, including the conservative Indonesian Ulema Council and the extremist Islamic Defenders Front, protested against the film because of its pluralist message.
Plot
? focuses on interfaith relations in Indonesia, a country wherein religious conflicts are common, and there is a long history of violence and discrimination against Chinese Indonesians and other minorities. The storyline follows three families living in a village in Semarang, Central Java: the Chinese-Indonesian Buddhist Tan Kat Sun (Hengky Sulaeman) and his son Hendra (Rio Dewanto), the Muslim couple Soleh and Menuk, and the Catholic-convert Rika and her Muslim son Abi.
Sun and Hendra run a Chinese restaurant that serves pork, which is forbidden for Muslims, although the restaurant has many Muslim clients and staff. To ensure good relations with his Muslim employees and customers, Sun uses special utensils for the preparation of pork, which he does not permit to be used for other dishes, and allows his staff time for prayers; he also gives them a holiday during Eid ul-Fitr, the largest Muslim holiday. One of his employees is Menuk, who supports her unemployed husband, Soleh. Rika is Menuk's friend and is involved with the unsuccessful Muslim actor Surya.
Already in his 70s, Sun falls ill and the restaurant is taken over by Hendra, who decides it will serve exclusively pork, alienating their Muslim customers. Hendra comes into conflict with Soleh over Menuk, as Hendra had previously dated her. Menuk becomes increasingly depressed after Soleh tells her that he plans to divorce her, and they are driven apart. Rika feels stressed as a result of how she has been treated by her neighbours and family after converting to Catholicism from Islam; Abi is also facing ostracism. Meanwhile, Surya and Doni are competing for Rika's affections. Surya is upset over his failure to find a good acting job.
Soleh joins the Islamic charitable group Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), hoping to gain confidence. Though he is initially reluctant to protect the security of a church during Christmas Eve, he ends up sacrificing his life when he discovers a bomb has been planted inside the church. He rushes out with the bomb, which explodes outside, killing him but saving the worshippers. Later, Sun dies when the restaurant, which did not close to honour Eid ul-Fitr, is attacked by a mob of fundamentalist Muslims. After the attack, Hendra reads the 99 names of Allah and converts to Islam; he attempts to approach Menuk, although it is unclear if she will accept him. Surya receives an offer from Rika to play the role of Jesus in her church's Christmas and Easter pageants, which he accepts for a high fee after hesitating due to fears that it will be against his religion; after the pageant he reads Al-Ikhlas in a mosque. Rika is able to obtain her parents' blessing for her conversion.