Si Ayu - a ReMoved story - #4

We added another story to the series of ReMoved films. Stories that highlight the resiliency of kids and allow us to get a glimpse into their hearts. For this one, we went to Indonesia.

12 year old Ayu spends her days on the bustling streets of Bandung, Indonesia playing music for donations to provide for her family while dreaming of a better life. Ayu is constantly reminded through her intermittent access to social media of the stark gap between her world and those more fortunate. She longs to join her friends in public school but cannot afford the mandatory cost of a school uniform, so she selflessly toils to look after her younger brother and find ways to help lift her family from an obscure life of poverty.

Set against the backdrop of a densely populated city in Java, Ayu seems almost invisible as she moves through traffic and past shops, restaurants and entertainment venues teeming with middle and upper class Indonesians and glitzy, confident young “influencers” who are oblivious to the barefoot, dirty children who are both everywhere and nowhere.

Ayu is played by Intan, a kind, hard-working preteen entrepreneur whose life closely mirrors her character in the film. Intan delivers a strikingly authentic and raw performance illuminating the reality of urban poor contrasted with the rising wealth around them, the enticing façade of the social media frenzy, and the technological tools that connect only those who can afford to possess them. After filming this movie, Intan was able to use her earnings to finally purchase her school uniform and fulfill her dream of attending middle school. She also invested in equipment to rent out to other street vendors, creating an income stream for her family.

The Least is a collaboration between Rising Act Films and ReMoved Film, two non-profit production companies dedicated to raising awareness of important humanitarian and environmental causes and celebrating organisations dedicated to serving those causes.