Battle of Surabaya

The film opens with the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and Japan's surrender aboard the USS Missouri, signaling the end of World War II. This victory paves the way for postwar power shifts and independence movements across Asia. It also foreshadows the incoming struggle in the Dutch East Indies.

Sukarno declares Indonesian independence, igniting a clash with Dutch efforts to restore control over the Dutch East Indies. The Dutch, short on manpower, rely on Allied forces to stabilize Java and Surabaya. The stage is set for a fierce struggle for sovereignty.

Thirteen-year-old Musa shines shoes to help his ill mother after his father dies. He finds a father figure in a Japanese army captain named Yoshimura, who is later killed in a clash between Indonesian youths and KNIL soldiers. The loss and wartime chaos shape his early outlook.

Musa befriends Yumna, an Indonesian Chinese orphan who works as a spy for the nationalist cause and a former member of the Kipas Hitam militia. She becomes his ally behind the scenes as they navigate the dangers of occupation and rebellion.

Musa also befriends an older youth named Danu and a local Indonesian soldier named Solehudin. Together they become part of the emerging resistance network. Their bonds anchor Musa as he enters the courier mission.

Musa and Yumna begin traveling as couriers for Resident Sudirman, moving behind Allied and Japanese lines to support Indonesian leadership. They carry encrypted instructions that help coordinate resistance against the occupying forces. The dangerous journeys test their courage and trust.

Musa considers quitting after the constant danger, but his mother is killed in a fire and he becomes an orphan. In her final moments, she tells him there is no glory in war, yet he vows to continue his mission for his country.

As the Indonesian Republic negotiates with the British under Brigadier Mallaby, Captain John Wright arrives in Surabaya and begins to take increasingly active measures against the nationalists. Tensions escalate as the British attempt to suppress the insurgency.

Based on information from his Kipas Hitam contacts, Wright targets Musa, who is couriering encrypted instructions to resistance leaders. Musa is captured and imprisoned at the Kipas Hitam base, cutting off his direct involvement.

Musa learns that Danu has betrayed the cause, but he resists interrogation and retains hope that the resistance can still succeed. The revelation tests loyalties and complicates his relationship with his former ally.

Indonesian forces led by Solehudin and Yumna mount a rescue operation, but both fighters are killed in the fighting. After their deaths, Danu rescues Musa and agrees to help deliver the message to atone for his treason.

The assassination of Brigadier Mallaby triggers full-scale fighting in Surabaya, devastating much of the city. During the chaos, Musa saves Captain Wright from a snake and earns a measure of respect from his adversary.

As the pursuit tightens, Danu delays the British by ramming his vehicle into a jeep, giving Musa a chance to flee on a bicycle. Captain Wright, moved by the display of courage, allows Musa to escape instead of finishing the chase.

Years later, an older Musa visits Japan and meets Captain Yoshimura's daughter Kioko, reconnecting with the man he briefly called a father. He grows into a grandfather and attends a parade that turns his memories into a hopeful vision of peace for the world.