On the absence of 'fragrant film': Changing images of the author in Indonesia

A more varied and plural image of 'the author' has emerged during the past decade, brought about by subsequent literary trends including Islamic women's writing and 'teen-lit' written by and for teenagers. 'sastra wangi' (fragrant literature) was a popular media label used to describe the controversial work of young female authors writing during the early 'reformasi' period. One decade on, we are seeing film adaptations of such work, none of which have provoked a comparable level of furore. The absence of any kind of 'fragrant film' discourse denigrating the femininity of the narratives reveals a shift in public discourse around authorship in contemporary Indonesia. This article uses close textual readings, media discourse analysis and ethnographic audience research to examine the relationship between such trends, and the ways in which young Indonesians engage with popular narratives.