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Bali

Bali

1970

Director

Ugo Liberatore, Paolo Heusch, Usmar Ismail

Runtime

90 minutes

Average Rating

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Synopsis

The wife of a European photographer on assignment in exotic Bali falls for an enigmatic ex patriot under the spell of a mystical death cult...

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Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

5.7/10

Fair


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Fair

The film lacks explicit evidence of non-cisnormative identities or same-sex intimacy. The romantic arc focuses on a woman and an enigmatic ex-patriot, offering no visible queer subtext.

Gender Representation

Fair

The female protagonist displays agency by abandoning her marriage to pursue a new life. However, her involvement with a death cult suggests a potential vulnerability to external spiritual forces.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Good

The production features a significant transnational collaboration, including Indonesian filmmaker Usmar Ismail. This involvement helps move the narrative beyond a purely Eurocentric perspective.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Good

The story uses a mystical death cult to challenge Western rationalism. This framework disrupts the protagonist's established life through intense, localized spiritualities.

Disability Representation

Minimal

There is no evidence of characters with physical or neurodivergent disabilities within the narrative.

Strengths

  • Transnational direction involving Indonesian filmmaker Usmar Ismail provides a non-Eurocentric perspective.
  • The female protagonist demonstrates agency by actively choosing to leave her marriage.
  • The film challenges Western rationalism by centering a non-Western spiritual framework.

Areas for Improvement

  • The film lacks visible representation of LGBTQ+ identities or queer subtext.
  • There is no evidence of characters with physical or neurodivergent disabilities.
  • The narrative risks framing local culture as a mere backdrop for Western character development.

AI Analysis

Bali (1970) functions as a complex transnational drama that avoids a purely Western gaze through its collaborative direction. By involving Indonesian filmmaker Usmar Ismail, the film introduces a post-colonial layer to its exotic setting. The narrative centers on a woman's departure from domestic stability toward a mystical, non-Western spiritual framework. This creates a tension between Western voyeurism and genuine cultural immersion. While the film lacks representation for LGBTQ+ identities or disabilities, it succeeds in disrupting conventional romantic trajectories through its focus on cultural and spiritual intersectionality.

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