Ruma Maida

The film moves between Maida's contemporary life in Jakarta and the 1940s wartime period surrounding Ishak Pahing. The 1940s scenes depict Japanese occupation, the struggle for independence, and personal tragedies within Pahing's circle. These historical threads inform the modern effort to save the house and its legacy. The resolution occurs in the present, culminating in a wedding that embodies past and future unity.

The action centers on a house in Jakarta that doubles as a free school for street children, anchoring the story in an dense urban setting. Its historical layers are revealed through a secret underground bunker and documents that connect the present to Indonesia’s past. The narrative also touches on Yogyakarta, marked by a wartime flight that shapes the family saga and national memory. The surrounding neighborhood experiences rioting and tensions between development and heritage preservation.

🕰️ Memory & History

Memory acts as a bridge between private lives and national narrative. Maida’s research uses Pahing’s story to recover forgotten voices and connect personal loss to collective memory. The underground bunker and archival clues show how a home can preserve a nation’s past. The film argues that understanding yesterday is essential to safeguarding heritage today.

❤️ Love & Unity

Maida and Sakera’s romance crosses religious and social boundaries, illustrating how affection can unite communities divided by history. Their bond becomes a catalyst for collaboration with allies across past and present divides. Love motivates defiance against demolition and inspires trust in unlikely partners. The wedding scene, blending mosque and church, symbolizes communal harmony.

🏛️ Heritage Preservation

Historic houses are vessels of memory and culture, not just architecture. The developer’s demolition plans highlight the tension between modernization and preserving history. Uncovering ownership and historical significance becomes a collective responsibility. The film’s arc ends with the house being renovated as a school, validating its social value.

🇮🇩 Independence & Identity

The house and its inhabitants are tied to Indonesia’s journey toward independence and the broader national narrative. Figures like Sukarno are invoked to frame personal histories within the nation’s awakening. The past, including wartime trauma and resistance, informs the characters’ sense of identity. The story emphasizes that individual histories contribute to the country’s evolving memory.