Photocopier Is A Netflix Drama About Sexual Assault You Can’t Miss

Not many films tackle the subject of sexual violence on college campuses. In Indonesia, however, one film has recently done just that – leading to several awards and causing a stir at home for its bold take on the issue.

Told with a restrained naturalism that never veers into melodrama, Photocopier is not afraid to go through the dark side of college campus. It avoids being overly didactic or one-sided by creating complex characters and letting them run wild with their own agendas.

Photocopier deserves more love than it got during its limited US theatrical release late last year, and if it can find an audience on Netflix – whether among non-Indonesians or those who just want to see a serious drama about this hot-button issue – its chances of finding one should go up. The tide has turned against silence on the subject, and the loudest voices are often female ones.

It’s a clear-eyed look at a grim reality that doesn’t sugarcoat or sensationalize, but it’s also studded with bone-dry humor. The performances are uniformly excellent, with Suryani, in particular, delivering a knockout turn as a woman who is both sympathetic and deeply flawed.

Outside the story, Bhanuteja keeps the movie going through propulsive editing and his soundtrack selections. The effect is electrifying: the best part drops in Rangayana Raghu’s “Maanasa Veena” in a scene where Suryani is at her most vulnerable and trapped in her own headspace, and the song becomes an anchor for her character.