Atheis (literally Atheist, also known as Kafir) is a 1974 Indonesian film directed by Sjumandjaja and adapted from Achdiat Karta Mihardja's novel of the same name. It follows a young Muslim man named Hasan who, through his interactions with others, loses his faith.
Shot on a budget of Rp. 80 million and starring Deddy Sutomo, Emmy Salim, Kusno Sudjarwadi, and Farouk Afero, Atheis was intended to be a challenge to Indonesia's religious communities. It was controversial upon release, at one point being refused by the country's censorship bureau. A box-office failure upon release, the film has since become one of Sjumandjaja's best known.Synopsis
The film takes place in Indonesia in the early 1940s, covering the Japanese occupation and slightly before. Hasan (Deddy Sutomo) is raised a devout Muslim and, as he grows older, falls in love with Rukmini (Christine Hakim), an equally devout woman. However, he finds himself intrigued with the modern Kartini (Emmy Salim), whom he meets through his politically active friend Rusli (Kusno Sudjarwadi). He also meets the nihilistic Anwar (Farouk Afero).
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