Fridae

In 2003, Indonesian director Nia Dinata shocked mainstream audiences with her comedy Arisan! which featured a loving gay couple kissing � a first in Indonesian cinema. Her new film, Love for Share, also breaks new ground with its examination of another taboo topic: polygamy.

The Koran states that a man may have up to four wives. The law was passed down during Prophet Mohamed's time when many men died in wars and fighting, leaving their wives and children to fend for themselves. Because women were not allowed to work then, they had to find another husband to pay for their food and clothing. Due to the disproportionately large number of widows, a law was set out to allow men to marry more than one woman.

Fast forward to today's world where women can find work and become independent. Most modern Islamic women won't stand for it if their husbands were to find second wives � threatening divorce if they do. But the practice still prevails in rural Muslim communities and among poorer women. Among well-educated Muslims though, the practice is very rare.

Love for Share takes place in Jakarta, which is witnessing a resurgence in polygamy. It weaves three different stories of women, each having to deal with polygamous husbands. Salma (Jajang C Noer) is a successful gynecologist whose husband takes on a second and third wife. Determined to be a devout Muslim who obeys every word of the Koran, Salma swallows her pain and accepts her fate.

In the second story, Siti (Shanty) is a small-town girl who is tricked into coming to Jakarta by an older man promising to put her through beauty school. There, she finds herself trapped in a dark little hut where she lives with his two wives and several children. Siti, however, develops an intimate Sapphic bond with one of the wives and they plot to leave the hut together. In the final story, Ming (Dominique) is a sexy Chinese waitress who agrees to be the second wife to the Catholic owner of the restaurant in return for financial security.

Director Nia Dinata tackles this complex social issue with sensitivity and humour. None of the characters come across as caricatures; all sides � husbands and wives � are portrayed with a degree of sympathy and understanding. All in all, this is a bold and topical film that offers fresh and balanced perspectives on a very controversial issue.