!SPOILER ALERT!— One film that attempts to highlight social issues is Luruh (2025), a short film directed by M. Rizky Salman, with cinematography and script written by Raihan Wafi Ramadhan. The film follows Bayu, a high school student seeking solace amid his family conflicts, only to become a victim of bullying, which worsens his situation. In his quest for peace, he meets Ayu, a figure who provides encouragement and moral support.
Watching and Laughing at the Bullies
Watching Bayu in Luruh reminds us of characters like Rara in Imperfect: Karir, Cinta, dan Timbangan (2019) and Sandra in Backstage (2021), who are also victims of social injustice for not fitting societal standards. These three films construct a narrative where bullying victims often come from groups perceived as weak or different from dominant social norms.
Bayu is portrayed as a quiet student with a neat appearance—perfectly worn uniform, properly tied tie, neatly combed hair, and a calm demeanor. Ironically, these very characteristics make him a target for bullying. Meanwhile, the bullies are visually characterized in stark contrast—messy uniforms, untucked shirts, rolled-up sleeves, no ties, wearing rings, and smoking at school. This visual construction immediately signals to the audience who the victim is and who the perpetrators are. Instead of challenging social stereotypes, Luruh reinforces the old narrative that bullying victims are neat and passive individuals, while bullies are those who appear delinquent.
In the script, Wafi writes that Bayu walks into the restroom and unintentionally encounters two students smoking inside. Without any clear reason, they immediately start intimidating him. There is no strong motive behind their actions, other than the fact that Bayu looks like someone who deserves to be bullied. This further emphasizes the narrative that bullies act purely out of dislike for those who are different, without exploring the deeper psychological or social dynamics behind their behavior.
Additionally, the film builds on the stereotype that bullies are “mama’s boys.” One of the bullies is portrayed as being overly pampered by his parents, reminiscent of the character Sadam in Petualangan Sherina (2000). In that film, Sadam initially appears as a rough and dominant figure but turns out to be a crybaby when faced with difficulties. By including this element, Luruh not only reinforces stereotypes about victims but also implicitly ridicules bullies.
Seeing the Victim Through the Camera
Framing plays a crucial role in Luruh in building empathy toward Bayu. Throughout the film, Bayu is often positioned at the center of the frame in medium close-up shots, emphasizing his solitude. The frame within a frame technique is also used to enhance the sense of entrapment and alienation he experiences. When Bayu is in the teacher’s office, walking down the school hallway, or being bullied in the cafeteria, he is always positioned in the right corner of the frame, facing right, as if he has no space to move forward. His stuck positioning visually represents the isolation he feels.
In contrast, Bayu’s moments of freedom are visualized through a shift in shot composition. When he is with Ayu in the school clinic, wider framing creates a sense of relief and safety. The peak of this visual contrast occurs when Bayu is at the sea—an open space symbolizing the freedom he finally attains. Unfortunately, the film’s narrative does not fully balance this visual approach with deeper character exploration. Ayu’s presence in the story further highlights Bayu’s helplessness. She is positioned as a savior providing protection rather than a character who undergoes independent growth. Instead of confronting his struggles on his own, Bayu is depicted as relying on external support to escape his difficult situation.
An Oversimplified Resolution
The resolution of Luruh feels too easy. Bayu, who is initially powerless, suddenly manages to defeat two bullies with a single punch. This transformation raises the question: why didn’t Bayu fight back from the start? The simplest answer is for dramatic necessity—where the protagonist only rises in the climax to defeat the antagonists.
However, in the context of reality, the solution presented feels overly simplistic. Bullying is not an issue that can be resolved with a single act of retaliation, and in many cases, perpetrators do not immediately change after being confronted once. The fact that the two bullies suddenly disappear after being defeated also diminishes the film’s message, as if bullying can be solved with one physical confrontation without any lasting consequences.
Luruh is a film that employs strong visual storytelling to depict the isolation of a bullying victim. However, narratively, it remains trapped in old stereotypes that paint victims and perpetrators in black-and-white terms without offering a more nuanced perspective.
Ultimately, Luruh raises a bigger question about how bullying should be represented in media. Should we accept the narrative that bullying victims are always well-behaved and weak? Is bullying really only carried out by those who look delinquent? And most importantly, is violence truly the solution to bullying?
