An Indonesian film that brings strong representation of Asian descent in this heart-warming tale of a woman and her dog.
June & Kopi is a 2021 Indonesian film that focuses on the bond between Aya, a woman who works as a graphic designer, and a stray dog named June. The main characters in the movie are Aya (Acha Septriasa), her husband Ale, their daughter Karin, Kopi, and her aunt Tante Ika.
Throughout this movie, viewers see strong representation of people of Asian descent, as all of the main characters presented are Indonesian. Also, since June & Kopi takes place in Indonesia, viewers get a glimpse of the Indonesian lifestyle. The actress who plays Aya is of Indonesian and Minangkabau descent, bringing a strong representation of Asians on camera. Furthermore, Noviandra Santosa, the director and writer of June & Kopi, is an Asian woman, bringing strong representation behind the camera.
One of the main themes discussed in this film is friendship. Aya shows her husband that June likes her and is allowed to keep her. When Karin comes into her life, Aya becomes surprised to see June comforting Karin as she cries. This scene shows viewers the strong friendship between Aya and June, as June is able to help the family. In addition, Kopi, another family dog, befriends June after witnessing June’s ability to take care of Karin. June notices that Karin suffers from asthma.
In the scene where the family is in the forest, June finds Karin after she runs away into the forest and finds shelter until the rain stops. This is a critical point in June & Kopi because viewers see how one adopted dog can bring strong love, affection, and friendship into someone’s life. The topic of “a dog is man’s best friend” supports the theme of friendship, as viewers learn that an adopted pet dog can make a difference.
Karin becomes affectionate toward June after seeing how June has helped her with her asthma. After June dies from losing too much blood, Karin decides to adopt a dog for Aya who looks identical to June, Aya’s original dog. This shows how Karin’s character has grown throughout June & Kopi, as Aya shows Karin that dogs can actually help somebody in need.
Overall, June & Kopi shows viewers strong representation of people of Asian descent, friendship, and affection.
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