Yasmin Ahmad: Confronting prejudice head-on

Friday, September 29, 2006
Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Clad in a white, embroidered kebaya (blouse) and colorful batik cloth, noted Malaysian filmmaker Yasmin Ahmad moved animatedly as she sang a couple of lines from Jablai, the hit song that appears in the current Indonesian film Mendadak Dangdut
(Suddenly Dangdut) by director Rudy Soedjarwo.

The lyric says Pergi tamasya ke Binaria/Pulang-pulang ku berbadan dua (Going to

Binaria for some fun/And leaving there pregnant).

"I passed Binaria this morning, and there was this public toilet. I thought, this is probably the place where they (people in the song) did it," said the outgoing lady, laughing. "The song is so funny. Ooh, I'd love to see the movie."

Yasmin, 48, has a strong affection for Indonesian films, which she said were much more progressive compared with those in Malaysia; this fondness was on constant display as she talked one Friday afternoon at the lounge of Mercure hotel, Ancol, North Jakarta.

She said she wanted to make a film here, for the country has a richer culture and its history is so much longer.

"I've told my friend here, you don't have to pay me. Just pay for my hotel and food, and give me a pack of cigarettes a day. I just want to make a film here. You don't even need to put my name on it," she said, in between puffs on her Camel cigarette.
As flattering as it sounded, it could be just another case of "the grass is greener on the neighbor's side", for contemporary Indonesian cinema contemporary films are in such a sorry state, with products that undermine viewers' intelligence.

Yasmin's work, on the other hand, is a poetic series that strikes the chords of humanity with great sensibility, and, at the same time, makes great use of visual technique to tell a story -- but not just for the sake of producing pretty, but ultimately empty, pictures.

Her first feature film, Sepet (Slit Eye, 2004), although somewhat slow, is an innocent and moving portrayal of an interracial relationship between two teenagers in Malaysia, one Chinese and one Malay.

It won an award for Best Asian Film at the 18th Tokyo Film Festival in 2005, as well as Le Grand Prix du Jury at the 2005 prix Creteil International Women's Film Festival in France.

Her sophomore effort, Gubra (2006) -- a colloquial Malay word for "anxiety" -- showed more technical prowess, and it weaves delicately two disparate stories on love, betrayal and prejudice.

Before Mukhsin was screened later that night, Yasmin warned: "Thank God the hotel ballroom's full of mosquitoes; they will keep you from falling asleep. The pace is even slower than Sepet and the story is the simplest of all."

Mukhsin turned out to be the most poetic of all, with just perfect pace and rhythm, about a heartwarming tale of first love between a preteen boy and girl set in a Malaysian kampong.

Written and directed by Yasmin, all three films orbited around the same character, Orked, played by Yasmin's muse, young Malaysian actress Syarifah Amani, and Orked's family -- a tribute to both legendary Japanese filmmaker Yoshijiro Ozu and Yasmin's loving and "crazy" parents ("they're in their 70s but still shower together and have sex, and chase one other around," she said.)

Her parents were one of the reasons Yasmin switched to filmmaking ("I want to tell them I love them"). Yasmin was already a household name in the Malaysian advertising scene when she forayed into film and made Rabun (2002), a feature for television based on real life when her father had eyesight problems.

She still works as executive creative director for Leo Burnett advertising agency (the screening of Mukhsin was part of the Citra Pariwara ad festival here), because, she said, one couldn't make money from filmmaking in Malaysia.

"The good thing about the advertising scene in Malaysia is that it's not bitchy. It's a small community that is mutually supportive," she said. Her expression turned dark for a second, adding, "The film scene, however, is very bitchy. It's a pathetic industry."

Sepet and Gubra might have been lauded as best films at the Malaysian Film Festival but condemnation was ripe back home.

She was labeled a corruptor of culture and religion for mixing Malaysian language and culture with others (English, Chinese, Indian) and her films are accused of having "pornographic elements".

Malaya University even held a seminar titled "Does Sepet Deserve to Win Best Film at the Malaysian Film Festival 2005?", which one Malay daily described as "narrow" and "as if full of hatred".
To an outsider, the accusations were baffling because the most pornographic elements in the films showed couples hugging, and scenes where women wore strapless sarongs at home.

Gubra is emotionally powerful as it showed a peaceful facade of Islam, including a story of a nonjudgmental cleric and his wife and their attitude toward their prostitute neighbors.

"They asked why the cleric and his wife were so nice to the prostitutes when they should have battled immorality," she said. "They were also angry because of a scene where the cleric patted a dog."

She said she deliberately infused Chinese and Indian language and culture because Chinese- and Indian-Malaysians are treated like second-class citizen.

"Because nobody has ever said it in a film and a novel that to be Indian and Chinese in Malaysia is sometimes like being in love with someone who doesn't love you back: They have no country; they don't feel they belong to China and India. They love Malaysia," said Yasmin, who is married to a Chinese-Malaysian.

The older generation of filmmakers, meanwhile, was so threatened by Yasmin and younger filmmakers that they badmouthed her to government officials and even paid reporters to write bad things about her.

The mainstream filmmakers, as Yasmin called them, even went as far as to tell moviegoers who were about to see Yasmin's films that tickets were sold out when in fact the theater was still half-full.

"They hate me: Ho Yuhang, Amir Muhammad and other new wave filmmakers. We don't hate them. Yes, we're embarrassed about their films but we don't hate them.

"If they make money from their films, good for them: Live and let live. But they're not the same. They got even more upset if our films were featured at international film festivals," she said, adding a swear word.

"The real reason is money -- they're afraid we will bite into their income."
She said all the condemnation hurt, but she would simply move on and make films. Her upcoming project is a film about a dark moment in Malaysia's history when Chinese and Malays killed each other back in the 1960s.

Another project she has pursued is about working-class women in rural areas in Indonesia.

One thing's for sure: Through her films, she wants to show people what's possible.
"It seems there's a trend of anger and hatred in films and in the world, to the point that models on catwalks don't smile anymore. To be arrogant and dismissive, to rip a person apart -- that's cool?

"This guy takes a knife and sticks it in his gut -- that's so cool. I'm thinking, 'what's so cool about it?' I'd like to persuade people that compassion is cooler."

Labels: Film, profile

Posted by hera at 8:21 PM | Permalinks | Comments

Susanti Ariyanti, Seeking better protection for migrant workers

Friday, August 25, 2006
Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Being critical is both curse and gift for migrant worker turned activist Susanti Ariyani.

Her past experience as a migrant worker has earned her respect in her fight for the rights of fellow workers and their families, especially when dealing with ignorant officials or the police.

The 27 year-old native of Cirebon, West Java, a four-hour drive east of Jakarta, recollected the hostile treatment she endured from the officials of a labor recruitment agency here and her employers at the destination countries.

It all started around five years ago when she was short of money to finance her diploma course in Bandung, West Java. Her parents could not afford to pay the university fees and the payment she received from tutoring fellow students in English was no longer enough to cover the expenses.

So, Susanti took leave from the university and went home to her parents' village, some four hours from Bandung. There, she found brokers from recruitment agencies hanging around like vultures, trying to lure villagers, who have little money, to work abroad as -- at most -- domestic workers.

"I didn't have any other alternative ... so I decided to give it a try," she said in a recent interview with The Jakarta Post, on the sidelines of a seminar on migrant workers held by the National Commission on Violence Against Women.

Arriving in Jakarta in the middle of the night, at a labor-supply agency -- which trains and sends workers abroad -- Susanti discovered human rights abuses, irregularities in recruitment procedures and document forgery.

"I had to strip almost naked for a physical examination, along with several others. The doctor was a woman but still ... When I protested, she just said that's the way it was," said Susanti, a devout Muslim who wears a headscarf.

She went on to protest about everything: the false data on her documents, an abrupt decision to send her to Singapore instead of Hong Kong for no apparent reason, and the so-called training which was very short (three days) with practically nothing being taught.

"Every time I protested, I was scolded. They said I was too vocal," said Susanti, who is very articulate and speaks nearly perfect English.

As a consequence, the agency postponed her placement and made her wait without any certainty of getting work abroad. The agency saw her tutorial potential and she was ordered to teach English to her fellow trainees and to work as a maid at one of the officials' homes.

"When I asked for a salary, he got angry and threatened not to give me the job (abroad)," she said.

After four months, Susanti was finally sent to Singapore, only to find that her employer made her work 18 hours nonstop every day, with limited food and no day off.
"I was forced to wash the walls every day as well as the windows on the balcony of the apartment, which was on the 26th floor. Once I said it was no use cleaning the windows every day because it was the rainy season... and she locked me in a tiny storage room for 10 hours," she said.

Five months later, she suffered a collapse in the bathroom, and was sent back to her agent.

Susanti then found a second employer, a couple whom Susanti was extremely grateful to for their understanding and kindness. Not only did they bail her out from the agent for breaking the contract early with the first employer, but they gave her weekends off plus extra money and taught her how to use the Internet.

Her employers moved to Australia and Susanti, who refused their offer to go along with them, went home, determined to finish her delayed course.

Back at the university, she said, she found that people really looked down on her because she had worked as a domestic helper.

"I told them it was not an ordinary job," said Susanti, considering how women's lives and honor were at risk while working abroad.

"I remember how my friends are in debt to their agents; how they suffer physical abuse... and rape. All this is faced while trying to improve their lives. People have no choice but to work abroad because our country is poor, but migrant workers are not appreciated," she said.

After completing her study, she was offered a job with a non-governmental organization in her hometown that helped migrant workers. Suspecting that the organization might not be credible, she turned it down initially before giving in.
She was sent to a series of seminars and workshops and underwent training.

"I was stunned to find a number of regulations and conventions on workers ... but that they are still unprotected. From then on, I realized that it's our own efforts -- the workers' -- that will help us," she said.

While money was not an obstacle anymore for her, thanks to her former employer's generosity in teaching her how to invest, Susanto felt so frustrated with unscrupulous officials and the lack of law enforcement that she decided to seek work abroad again; this time in Hong Kong.

Employer number three turned out to be the same as employer number one. But Susanti has learned many things about organizational and campaigning skills.

"The Hong Kong government imposes strict regulations and migrant workers feel more protected. I have also learned a lot from my Filipino friends who are, unlike Indonesians, more organized. Indonesians don't really care about other people's fate as long as they are fine," she said.

Her last venture abroad lasted less then a year. She went home and has since become a full-time activist with the Cirebon-based Forum for Migrant Workers and Families (FWBMI) which was established in 2000.

"We aim to form a community organization, to empower migrant workers and their families, to familiarize them with legal and health issues, and so on. We also ask wealthier former migrant workers to subsidize others in the form of cooperation. Right now we are also working on a permit to establish a school for former migrant workers. But the government is very bureaucratic," she said.

Other obstacles encountered in the campaign, she said, were that they still lacked funding and that people were still suspicious about their mission.

Susanti said that the forum had worked on 190 cases, one-third of them were settled. Rape cases have risen significantly. Workers who suffer sexual abuse will bring home their "unwanted" babies and find they are not accepted by their families.

"Rape cases mostly happen to women working in Saudi Arabia. It is very easy to go there, you know. Demand for workers is so high that work documents are already prepared beforehand for any applicant to use right away," she said.

She said Indonesia should follow the recruitment system adopted by the Philippines where the government tightly scrutinizes the data in the documents to minimize fraud. The government is very mindful about sending only skilled, fully-trained workers abroad.

"People really push the government to protect migrant workers. Labor organizations there are also united, and legislators really represent the people.

Susanti said she was still willing to work abroad, particularly in Canada, reputable among destination countries for upholding protection for migrant workers.

Her overseas venture this time -- should it materialize -- will carry a mission to push forward her cause.

"I'll have time to study. And I also want to strengthen migrant workers organizations in other countries," she said.

Labels: Film, women's right

Posted by hera at 8:24 PM | Permalinks | Comments

Reality hits screen with R&R dream

Sunday, February 05, 2006
Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

When was the last time you watched an Indonesian film and still talked about it for hours, or even days afterwards -- and not because the lame dialog, dim-witted storyline and absurd plot (paging Sembilan Naga and Garasi) left you so traumatized that you wished you could reclaim those two hours and had never watched the film in question.

No -- but because the film is so real, so honest, so true to itself, so high-spirited and so hilarious at the same time.

Enter Realita, Cinta dan Rock 'n Roll (Reality, love and rock 'n' roll).
The title may sound dead pretentious. The premise also invites eye rolling and head scratching: Two angst-ridden boys, rebels at school and at home, bump into harsh reality as one turns out to be adopted while the other turns out to have a transsexual father -- all while caught in a love triangle.

Judging from the disasters produced in the screenwriting department from which too many local movies have suffered, it has seemed that there is no way that a local filmmaker could make a good film out of such material.

Director Upi's past productions also seemed to indicate this. She wrote and directed 30 Hari Mencari Cinta (30 days seeking love) and wrote Lovely Luna, which were among the endless list of crappy teen flicks that have inundated movie theaters in recent years.

But boy, I've never been so happy for being proven wrong and for prejudging something.

A few directors have made an attempt to make a coming-of-age film but failed miserably, portraying teenagers as either too dumb to live or too wise and mushy to be real.

Only Realita has come up with a true-to-life depiction of teen boys, complete with their angst, stupidity, anxiety and silliness -- perhaps amazingly, as the writer/director does not have any testosterone to be able to understand a boy's world, never mind speaking their lingo.

Upi has managed to come up with a great script that succeeds in turning the cringe-inducing premise into a believable and enjoyable story.

The characters are well developed, and theatrical characters -- like a transsexual father and a New Age-obsessed mother with her hippie boyfriend -- enriched the film instead of impairing it.

The dialog is natural and funny, although there are moments when it slips into a soap opera cliche, along with some scenes. The story also drags a little in the middle, but the script is solid overall.

Occasionally, the small budget also lets Upi down, particularly in terms of poor sound quality and blurry camerawork. Seems like the production budget to make this movie came from the wrong hands.

But as a whole, the film is a delight to watch. Its flaws are also compensated by the two young and barely experienced actors, Herjunot and Vino. They really shine in their roles as two silly boys who actually have good hearts.

Meanwhile, their aspiring to become rock stars but not really having the skill will just crack you up. The chemistry and friendship between the laed actors are strong and touching without being sentimental.

Newcomer Nadine Chandrawinata, also Miss Indonesia 2005, is not disappointing either as a troubled teenage girl. And after his good comeback in 2005's Janji Joni (Joni's promise) as a chatty taxi driver, former action star Barry Prima again delivers an excellent performance as the transsexual father.

Realita really compensates for the recent poor fare -- some of which were from celebrated filmmakers.

Thanks to Upi, we can regain our hope in the local film industry -- let's just hope Upi does not get into the hype. *** (out of ***)

Labels: Film, review

Posted by hera at 9:01 PM | Permalinks | Comments

LSF facing criticism for film poster ban

Friday, December 23, 2005
Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta


Director Rudi Soedjarwo was furious, but nervous at the same time. The Film Censorship Board (LSF) recently ordered the withdrawal of the poster for Rudy's upcoming film Sembilan Naga (Nine Dragons) before it had even been released.
The reasons were baffling: The poster features a caption reading "Manusia Terbaik di Indonesia adalah Seorang Penjahat" (The best Indonesian is a criminal), and a picture of young actor Fauzi Baadila without his shirt.
Rudi said that the withdrawal order meant that no film or VCD distributor would dare promote or distribute the film.
"That means the only chance to see the film will be in January, when the film is released. That is, if it passes the censors at all," he said, adding that the censorship process would start after Christmas and that he was really nervous.
The whole thing showed how the state was reluctant to let the people decide for themselves, he said.
"It's like parents who always think of their children as kids. Why doesn't the LSF just deal with the ratings, instead of cutting the films, and then leave it up to the cinemas and TV stations to sort things out for themselves," said Rudi, who won the best director award at the 2004 Indonesian Film Festival (FFI) for teen hit Ada Apa Dengan Cinta? (What's Up With Cinta?).
Rudi's case once again places the state censorship board in the spotlight, worsening its already notorious reputation as being ultraconservative while at the same time capricious.
Dating back to Dutch East Indies days, the LSF now has 45 members comprising representatives from nine ministries, religious organizations, the military, the police and the National Intelligence Agency. Every film shown on TV and played in a cinema must pass the board's scrutiny.
The LSF frequently cuts scenes containing even a peck on the lips. But there are no clear standards, and some films containing kissing scenes, such as Ada Apa, pass uncut.
Some of its decisions are truly surprising. For example, the 2003 movie Arisan! (Gathering) has a gay kissing scene, while this year's Detik Terakhir (Last Second) even made through with a masturbation scene and a lesbian sex scene in the bathroom.
Another thing about the LSF, it always backs down whenever there is a protest from religious groups, government bureaucrats or people in powerful positions.
Last year, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) and Muslim TV preacher Abdullah Gymnastiar, or Aa Gym as he is familiarly known, blasted the LSF for passing the film Buruan Cium Gue (Kiss Me Quick), which they condemned as likely to corrupt the youth with "carnal desires". The film's producer then withdrew the film.
This year, the LSF withdrew the action movie Bad Wolves as the police objected to its portrayal of corrupt officers, which they said would tarnish the image of the force, despite the fact that it is at an all time low.
More recently, three documentary films about Timor Leste were not allowed to be screened at the Jakarta International Film Festival (JIFFest).
The films -- Timor Loro Sae, Tales for Crocodiles, and Passabe -- were said to be likely to "open up old wounds and create social unrest."
"They're one sided, portraying Indonesians as the bad guys. They would further damage our already poor image," said LSF director Titie Said.
The fear of social unrest was Titie's excuse for a lot of the things that the LSF has done and been criticized for.
"You have to understand, not everyone is sharp and educated like you. We're still in the middle of a transitional phase as a nation. We are very diverse as a nation, we have to bridge that," she said.
"It's not undemocratic, and we're not against artistic freedom. But there is a bigger interest here, the interest of the nation."
While many think that censorship is redundant given the widespread availability of pirated DVDs and access to the Internet, Titie said "if we don't impose censorship, it would inflict more damage to society."
Titie admitted that there were no clear criteria or classifications for the censorship imposed, and that the relevant legislation, Law No. 8/1992, was a bit outdated.
However, she said the board still defended artistic freedom, for instance, in the case of Detik Terakhir, which tells the story of a girl from a broken home who turned to drugs and lesbianism.
"We passed the scenes because we don't want to disrupt the essence of the film, which consists of a good moral tale," Titie said.
John Badalu, JIFFest spokesman and director of Q! gay film festival, said that the LSF seemed to have double standards as it treated Western films differently on the grounds that kissing and sex scenes were part of Western culture.
"And there should be special rules for film festivals as the screening periods and the audiences are limited," he said.
Filmmakers have urged less censorship, and instead a tighter rating regime.
Noted filmmaker Garin Nugroho said that the people in the LSF were too prone to worry and fear, and that their decisions were often immature and even ridiculous.
"The more important thing is a good law enforcement and justice system, where people can file complaints after a film has been screened," he said.
The current censorship system, Garin said, could undermine democracy and justice. "We would become a worried and fearful nation, and never mature."

Labels: Film

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High expectations overwhelm 'Gie'

Sunday, July 10, 2005
Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Gie; Drama, 2 hours 27 minutes. Starring Nicholas Saputra, Jonathan Mulia, Sita Nursanti, Indra Birowo. Directed and written by Riri Riza; A Miles Films production (Bahasa Indonesia). **1/2 (out of ****). Opening on July 14.

Gie was one of the most anticipated movies of the past year for a few reasons, but mainly because the majority of local productions have ranged from plain bad to abysmal, with very few exceptions.
Another reason is because the emerging contemporary film scene, after it was crippled during the 1990s, has been dominated by (bad) teen and horror flicks. So, a mature drama about an uncompromising political activist who died young was expected to bring some depth and a drop of inspiration to the scene.
Furthermore, the film was made by Riri Riza, the most celebrated figure in the local industry, whose films, whether his involvement was in direction or in producing (count Rumah Ketujuh/Seventh House out), have been milestones for their quality.
Recently, a local film observer and critic even accused the Cannes film committee of cronyism, as the committee had picked a not-so-stellar Singaporean film over Gie. The critic admitted he had not seen the latter, but for the aforementioned reasons, he thought it had to be a great film.
After watching the movie, however, it's clear that the people at Cannes are not stupid.
This movie, sadly, falls flat due to its lack of focus, lame screenplay and dialog, as well as its skin-deep approach to Gie's character and Indonesian politics.
This is very unfortunate because Gie, or Soe Hok Gie, was a legendary student activist whose sharp and critical writing has been immortalized in several books.
Born in 1942 during World War II, Gie came into the spotlight as a student at the University of Indonesia's School of Literature, when he was actively involved in the 1960s student movement against the Soekarno government.
A prolific contributor to several publications at that time, Gie was daring, frank and unbending in his ideals; a quality unmatched in his successors until today.
Leading a modest life, he once sent a lipstick and a mirror to former fellow student activists who sold out later and became the very legislators they used to criticize.
His idealistic approach, however, often left him isolated, but he could not care less. An avid mountain climber, Gie died in 1969 while scaling Mount Semeru in East Java.
Riri Riza's film is the first to portray Gie's life.
It begins in Gie's teenage years, set in a Chinese-Indonesian neighborhood. The film started out well and continued so for the first half-hour, although the pace was too slow, and the audience finds out the critical, idealistic and anxious character of the young Gie (played quite well by newcomer Jonathan Mulia).
These traits are revealed in how he sticks up for the poor, how he stood up for his best friend, Han, who was physically abused by his family, and other scenes.
The excellent cinematography, the intricate setting with great details promised that better things lay ahead over the next two hours.
Unfortunately, it does not deliver. The characters are portrayed in a superficial manner -- for example, Gie likes to read, speak up, watch art films -- distancing the viewers instead of letting us relate to him, let alone be inspired by him.
Gie is also overwrought by lame and preachy lines about politics, which leaves the impression that the filmmaker does not really have knowledge on this subject, but is hardly trying to cover it up.
Perhaps Riri should have focused on, say, the friendship between Gie and Han, the latter of whom was a victim of the massacre of Communists, as he was a sympathizer of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI). Or maybe he could have focused on the friendship between the activists, or Gie as a rare-breed activist hailing from the Chinese-Indonesian community.
Instead of focusing on a specific theme or event, it appears Riri was trying to tell too many things at once, that the movie became a montage of events and is often confusing, not to mention dull.
In a bid to humanize Gie, Riri also inserted some mushy romance, which only made the characters even more flawed.
The actors are not damaging to the film, but are not really convincing in their portrayals either, particularly Nicholas, whose average work here only reminded of criticisms as to why a Eurasian actor was picked to play a Chinese-Indonesian.
Even the thematic score and songs on the original soundtrack are baffling. The already unimpressive music should have been subtle, but instead it often drowns out the narration. And then suddenly, a rock song blares on screen and (gasp!) it's Bob Dylan's Like A Rolling Stone -- which is very much not in tune with Gie's rigid portrayal and the tone of the film.
Nearing the end of the film, all we were waiting for was the moment Gie dies. Which is, needless to say, really, really sad.

Labels: Film, review

Posted by hera at 12:49 AM | Permalinks | Comments

FFI makes tragic comeback, panned by filmmakers

Monday, December 13, 2004
Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

To sum it up, the 2004 Indonesian Film Festival (FFI) held on Saturday evening was unbelievably inept in many ways.
The event, which was broadcasted live on a private TV station, was incredibly boring, with dull and dim-witted hosts, unexciting performers and award presenters.
Worse still, what was supposed to be a celebration of the revival of the local film scene and an event to recognize filmmakers ended up sparking their anger.
The live rundown of the show was so badly arranged that the award categories, such as best cinematography and best screenplay, were presented during commercial breaks.
In addition, the award presentation broadcast, long known for its critically panned, lowbrow fare, rambled on almost without a break.
Noted director Riri Riza was the first to give a stinging rebuke of the organizers when he went onstage to receive the best screenplay award he shared with Prima Rusdi for Eliana Eliana.
"This is proof that film has been taken over by the stupidity of television," he said.
As more categories were presented during the commercial breaks, director Nia Dinata and producer Mira Lesmana followed suit in criticizing the event when receiving their awards, condemning the organizers for not properly appreciating those unpublicized filmmakers who worked behind the scenes.
It was a tragic comeback for a film festival that used to be highly anticipated, and which significantly cultivated and influenced public opinion on quality local films during its heyday in the 1970s and 1980s.
The festival was on hiatus for 12 years after it faltered in the early 1990s against the stranglehold of Hollywood flicks on local theaters.
It is now back, in tandem with the increase in local film productions in recent years -- from just one film made in 2000 to 13 in 2003 and 18 this year.
Nominations for this year's awards spanned 2000 to 2004, but some of the selections raised some questions.
As good a film it is with its groundbreaking theme about same-sex relationships and poking fun at the rich, the reasons behind picking Arisan! (Gathering) as best picture is slightly questionable.
At the Academy Awards, for instance, the film that wins best picture usually takes several other categories -- indicating the film's superiority in production design, visual effects, direction or screenplay.
Titanic, Braveheart, The English Patient, Cleopatra and in a rare 11-category sweep, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, are a few such best pictures.
In the case of Arisan!, it did not win best cinematography, screenplay, director or art direction -- the latter is perhaps what it deserved, given the excellent effort for its sets.
The only other award the film grabbed is best editing, which is a headscratcher, since editing is not the film's best aspect. The slow pace in the beginning of the film, several redundant scenes and the rough cutting are proof of this.
A better selection should also have been provided than the actual winners of best actor, best actress and best director.
It does not take a diploma in theatrical arts to see that Tora Sudiro's debut in Arisan! is amateurish and stiff.
And what was so special about Dian Sastrowardoyo playing herself, a pretty, rich, popular teenager in Ada Apa Dengan Cinta? (What's up with Cinta)? This is like choosing Lindsay Lohan as best actress at the Academy Awards for her role in Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen.
Meanwhile, long-time actress Jajang C. Noer, whose brilliant performance as a harsh widow in Eliana Eliana, was overlooked.
As for best director, Riri Riza seems a better choice than Rudy Soedjarwo for his excellent work in Petualangan Sherina and especially Eliana Eliana -- which is, quite frankly, the best film released so far in the past four years -- and only Riri has proven himself to be a director with a great sense of storytelling.
There was an impression that the jurors wanted to spread out the awards evenly, as all of the best picture nominees received at least one award.
With the winners being mostly young people and newcomers, it is clear that the jurors were aiming to groom and encourage new talent. However, by doing so, they have endorsed mediocrity, which will only halt the development of Indonesian film and possibly cause stagnancy, especially since quality films are still few and far between.
These multitude blunders of the FFI 2004 only confirm the opinion that the organizers should be comprised of young people, instead of old-timers who suddenly resurface with the revival of the film scene.
It also confirmed that the majority of jurors should come from the film community and specialize in this field.
Jurors for the FFI 2004 were an incongruous mix of writers, film critics, a psychologist and a former state minister -- most likely order to avoid a conflict of interest, but this was a misguided notion.
Hopefully, the next FFI will be better -- if there is a next time.
Ever since the film scene was crippled in the 1990s, Indonesian filmmakers have been flying solo without any government support. Meanwhile, as the quality of film productions increase, they have contributed to national revenue, given the high tax on films and production materials -- but sadly, without incentive.
A film award is the least we can give to honor the nation's filmmakers and the least we can do to try and improve the film industry. And this must begin by awarding those who deserve it.

Labels: Film

Posted by hera at 1:14 AM | Permalinks | Comments

Deneuve spreads her Gallic charm

Sunday, November 28, 2004
Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Like Sophia Loren and Elizabeth Taylor, Catherine Deneuve is better known for her radiant beauty than setting the screen on fire with her acting fireworks, especially outside her native France.
Once given the honor of being the model for Marianne, the symbol of her homeland, Deneuve is often held up as the epitome of feminine beauty by noted photographers, and is the muse of her friend, the fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent.
The focus on her physical attributes belies the fact that she is one of the most productive French actresses, barely taking a hiatus from film production since she started her career in 1960.
There have been several international forays, such as the cult classic The Hunger with David Bowie and Susan Sarandon; notable among her recent screen outings was 2000's Dancer in the Dark by Danish director Lars Von Trier, in which Deneuve acted alongside pop star Bjork.
In conjunction with the screening of 2002's Au Plus Pres Du Paradis (Closest to Heaven), which she starred in, Deneuve made a brief visit to the capital last week, before heading to Bali for a vacation.
She appeared fashionably chic in a white suit and pants at a media conference here, her thick blonde hair now short, beautiful but not in an intimidating way.
Speaking in both French and English, she lacked any diva attitude, instead displaying a Gallic nonchalance with a cigarette twirling between her fingers.
That prompted a question, and Deneuve admitted she felt responsible when women took up smoking after being influenced by their film idols.
"I feel responsible, I try not to smoke so much and slow down," said Deneuve, 61.
But she found the move to ban smoking in films in the United States to be a great hypocrisy.
"What about alcohol? There's a greater danger in it (than smoking), and now people who drink are getting younger, yet drinking in film is not banned."
Unlike some of her peers, she is not content to sit on the political sidelines.
In fact, she is an activist whose causes include HIV/AIDS, cancer and combating drug abuse, as well as helping abandoned children.
She has been a goodwill ambassador for UNESCO, is involved with Amnesty International as well as campaigning in favor of women's rights, including on the right to abortion, but against capital punishment, which she does not consider a deterrent to crime.
"It seems as though there is a step back in the rights of women even in developed countries," she said of women's rights. "Therefore, women have to always be aware and careful."
As for capital punishment, she said: "I ask the countries who are still practicing it to reconsider the death sentence. It's a barbaric act. There's no guarantee that crime will be abolished with the death sentence. Even if somebody killed someone, the death sentence is not a positive answer."
Although she can talk the talk on such controversial issues, Deneuve is still a Parisian girl at heart, who loves to talk about fashion, and her friendship with Saint Laurent.
"He has such amazing intuition and talent. We collaborated on several films where he handled the costumes. You see costumes for the actor is, like, the first element in immersing oneself in a character. And he did it brilliantly."
She confessed that she loves to spend on fashion.
"I love the term chic because it's for everyone, very personal. It doesn't take a luxurious outfit to be chic. I love it because now fashion is more democratic, it reaches out to everyone."
However, Deneuve is not in favor of another fashion -- the nip/tuck.
"I'm realistic, I won't go against time. Let's just be natural and don't act against nature. When my time passes, so be it."
She was born Catherine Dorleac to actor parents; Deneuve is her mother's maiden name, and her elder sister, Francoise, who died in a car crash in 1967, was also an actor.
She made her film debut in 1960 with several films, but her breakthrough came in 1964 with the highly acclaimed musical Le Parapluies de Cherbourg (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg), followed by the psychological horror movie Repulsion, directed by Roman Polanski.
She has worked with several noted European directors, such as Polanski, Francois Truffaut, Luis Bunuel, Raoul Ruiz and Manuel Oliveira, in diverse roles, from several of ordinary women, to one losing her mind (Repulsion) to a bored rich housewife who turns tricks during the day (Bunuel's Belle de Jour).
Other highlights from her career include Le Dernier Metro, for which she won France's Cesar award in 1980, and later Indochine (1992), the tale of life in colonial Vietnam which brought her an Academy Award nomination.
The plodding Au Plus Pres Du Paradis may not be her best work, but the film shoot was quite memorable as it had been scheduled to be shot in New York City when the 9/11 tragedy happened.
"It's a romantic comedy, but it was difficult to get in the mood because of the situation. We also needed to relocate to Canada, building a New York setting in a studio there."
Deneuve's latest film Les Temps Qui Changent (The Changing Time), directed by Deneuve's longtime friend Andre Techine and costarring Gerard Depardieu, is due out in France on Dec. 15.
She said there was no stopping her from working in films.
"I'm not 100 percent content with my career, it's still moving on. But so far I like the films that I've done, I'm happy because many people appreciate them.
"There is no special plan, but there are projects for upcoming movies."

Labels: Film, profile

Posted by hera at 1:22 AM | Permalinks | Comments

Hopes, doubts greet film festival return

Sunday, November 21, 2004
Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

It could be of the gigantic upswept hairdos, the Citra trophy or autograph hunting, but those born before the 1980s are likely to recollect the Indonesian Film Festival (FFI).
That recollection may include its significance in cultivating and influencing public opinion on quality local films during its heyday in the 1970s and '80s.
"It was such a big deal for everyone, including filmmakers," reminisced director Riri Riza of the festival, inaugurated in 1973.
"Filmmakers are, of course, delighted to have their works appreciated. Films become very important."
Riri was a student at the film school of the Jakarta Arts Institute (IKJ) when the last FFI was held in 1992.
Now a producer and the director of several films that could be nominated in the festival, to be held on Dec. 11, he said he was eager to relive the atmosphere of years past.
He is not alone; many others also yearned for the glittering festival, which was halted as Hollywood blockbusters gained a stranglehold at movie theaters and local film production petered to a halt.
FFI's revival comes in tandem with the increased film production of recent years. From one film released in 2000, there were four in 2001, eight in 2002, 13 in 2003 and 18 in 2004.
It is still a paltry number compared to the robust film production in Asian neighbors like India or the Philippines, but enough for the nominations needed for a film festival.
It follows the first MTV Indonesia Movie Award in October, with the public making their picks in 10 different categories.
Held in typically funky MTV style, with an irreverent but crisp script, the categories included such offbeat choices as Best Crying Scene.
FFI 2004's head of committee, director/producer Adisurya Abdy, said there was the need for a standard measurement of film quality to determine the progress or decline in the local film scene, long the role of FFI.
"So FFI is like a venue to unify the perceptions of the film community. FFI also confirms a filmmaker's identity."
Riri agreed that a national-scale film festival was needed to set a standard, such as in picking the official representative from this country in international film festivals.
"Our entries for the Asia Pacific Film Festival, for instance, have been questionable. It's unclear why the entries are mostly films from Multivision and Star Vision," Riri said, referring to film companies owned by TV soaps moguls Ram Punjabi and Chand Parwez, which churn out critically panned, lowbrow fare.
Adisurya said the idea to revive FFI had been around for several years, but funding constraints prevented it from being realized.
Organized by the State Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the National Film Management Committee (BP2N), the FFI committee was finally able to gather Rp 5 billion (US$556,000) from the ministry and several sponsors.
Categories in FFI 2004, spanning the period 2000 to 2004, include Best Picture, Best Television Film, Best Script, Best Documentary, Best Short Film, Best Film Critic and Best Director.
Juries are not limited to people involved in the film community, but also include noted figures from different fields, such as writer Ayu Utami, former state minister of women's empowerment Khofifah Indar Parawansa, presidential spokesman Andi Mallarangeng and sociologist Imam Prasodjo (this writer is also a member of the short-film panel).
But some contend jury members should only come from the film community, whether filmmakers or critics.
"If the reason for not using people from the film scene is because of the fear of conflict of interest, that doesn't make sense. I've been a jury member at several international film festivals, and about 80 percent of the jury come from the film community," said director Garin Nugroho.
Riri argued that film organization in this country was still more well-rounded than other arts organization, including BP2N, the Film Censorship Institute (LSF), not to mention private and independent film organizations.
"So it's a bit ironic that the FFI jury does not comprise people involved in the local film scene. The committee should've communicated it to the public, so we know what's going on and we know that the jury involved knows what they're talking about."
The PR savvy necessary to put on an inviting, interesting film event is clearly still lacking compared to other regional festivals.
For the Pusan International Film Festival in South Korea, for instance, banners promoting the event are numerous and regular screenings ensure that the public is aware of what is going on.
For FFI 2004, the media exposure is small, and the only promotional banners are at the film building housing the offices of BP2N and LSF on Jl. MT Haryono, South Jakarta.
FFI's website, www.filmindonesia.net, is always under construction. Many have tried to log onto www.ffi.esmartdesign.com, mistakenly assuming the hoax site is an official one.
The website lists "nominees", but they will only be finalized on Dec. 4. And a short film listed as one of the nominees is not even among the entries.
Director Jay Subijakto is baffled by the approach of the organizing committee.
"Everything is so formal, bureaucratic ... It's like deja vu New Order," he said, referring to the government of president Soeharto from the late 1960s to 1998.
Granted, FFI was indeed nothing like the Academy Awards, let alone the MTV Movie Award. It was more like a staid government ceremony, with the information minister on hand to open the event and deliver long-winded speeches.
Films contravening the government view of things were not up for consideration.
Adisurya admitted that the work ethos of people remained stuck in the old-fashioned ways. "We can't suddenly change that."
Even the fringe events supporting the festival are a strange hodgepodge.
Instead of an intensive schedule of screenings, the public can choose from a photo exhibition, charity night, traditional leather puppet show, acting competition and billiard tournament as part of the festival.
"The festival should not stop at giving awards. There should be a lot of discussions and discourse about local films. In the past, there were usually some film critics who discussed the nominated films on television. That's like educating the audience as well," Riri said.
Garin said the festival must be critical about the problems affecting the local film industry, like the stifling tax policy and the structure of the industry.
"Even thought it is government funded, it still has to be independent," said Garin, who failed to submit his films for consideration in time.
The only criticism on the contemporary situation from the festival came from Ratna Sarumpaet, women's activist and a member of the selection committee for television films, who stated that most TV films were offensive to women.
Observers like Jay worry that the festival will fail to live up to its objectives in defining quality film vehicles.
"I'm worried that young filmmakers would see the best picture film and think 'Oh, so this is what we should make'. It was the reason why the local film industry collapsed in the first place."
Riri has more confidence in the durability of the local industry, pointing out that it survived despite no government support during the dark decade of the 1990s.
"The most important thing is that the festival is not just a mere awards-giving ceremony, because media competition is fierce today."
With all its present shortcomings but its rich history behind it, let's hope that the upcoming FFI is not the last for another 12 years.

Labels: Film

Posted by hera at 1:25 AM | Permalinks | Comments

Asia's digital cinema only serves as training ground

Sunday, December 22, 2002

It is cheap, immediate and versatile. No wonder many filmmakers are turning to digital video, particularly young filmmakers on shoestring budgets.

This phenomenon really took off after 1999's The Blair Witch Project, a horror flick shot with Hi-8 camcorders. With production costs of only US$22,000, the movie went on to make $240 million worldwide.

This success inspired many filmmakers to use digital video (DV) to overcome budget constraints, including in Indonesia, where the local film industry, despite recent signs of recovery, remains in a lull.

Among the Indonesian movies shot on digital video are the 2001 hit Jelangkung by Rizal Mantovani and Jose Purnomo and this year's Eliana Eliana by Riri Riza.

In Asia, the two filmmakers considered to be pioneers of digital video are Hong Kong director Kenneth Bi with his 2000 debut A Small Miracle and Singapore's Ong Lay Jin with Return to Pontianak.

"Hong Kong's film industry is not like it was. It's either very high or very low in terms of production costs. There's nothing in between. It's not as healthy as in the 1980s or the early 1990s. My financing collapsed but I was in desperate need to be creative. So I turned into DV," Bi said during a seminar on digital technologies at the recent Asia Film Market & Conference.

With $10,000 from his own pockets, Bi shot his movie with amateur actors who worked for free.

Though never released commercially, the movie received good reviews and has been screened at film festivals around the world, allowing Bi to secure funding for his next project.

A similar experience happened to Malaysian director Amir Muhammad, who wrote and directed that country's first DV feature, Lips to Lips, which was invited to over a dozen film festivals around the world.

"A lot of indie filmmakers are inspired to shoot their movies with digital video," said Amir, whose Lips cost some $60,000 ("cheap but still a lot").
Beside being cheap and immediate, digital movies also free filmmakers to do anything they want, to experiment with the small camera.

"If you want to do something mischievous, it's possible with DV. My second movie, (this year's) 6horts, is a series of six video essays that I shot completely without actors. It would be impossible to do this with regular celluloid but it's possible with DV," Amir said.

Return to Pontianak producer Juan Foo said regular film was technically more sophisticated because it was two to three times more sensitive.

"But digital movies don't abandon aesthetic. Everything else is almost like a regular film production," he said.

With digital video, filmmakers are free to do what they want and produce any type of movie they choose.

This has, however, resulted in some digital movies being shot with apparently little thought for the quality of the film.

In Indonesia, this tendency has been shown with several new digital movies with stories that are just absurd, such as Titik Hitam (The Black Spot), Kafir (Satanic) and 5 Sehat 4 Sempurna (Healthy Five, Perfect Four).

With the local film industry still struggling to get back on its feet and find its audience, the new DV craze could end up scaring people away.

"It's a big problem. The problem is there's a TV aesthetic, there's a film aesthetic but there's not yet a DV aesthetic. DV has not found an avenue yet, except the dogma. You can like them or not like them," Bi said.

Amir, however, thinks the DV movement could create a new audience apart from the audience for mainstream Malaysian films.

"Some (DV movies) are good and some are bad, but it's too early to judge. It's still something that many people have yet to become familiar with. Those who are really good and interested will continue to sharpen their talents," he said.

What does the future of digital cinema look like?

Bi does not see it becoming popular any time soon, as there are still very few cinemas that are equipped with digital projectors.

"There is one theater in Hong Kong that has the projector and it's broken," he said.
Therefore, many digital movies do not play in cinemas because they first have to be transferred to film, which costs thousands of dollars.

"And audiences have yet to warm to digital movies, maybe because technically they look inferior, like something the audience can make at home," said Bi.

Agreeing with Bi, Foo does not think distributors and exhibitors are ready to invest in digital projectors, given the preference for regular film.

"But I think that will change, hopefully," he said.

In this sense, digital cinema still only serves as a training ground for young filmmakers. The challenge is how to take it to another level, to make the movies look less like something anyone can do at home. Perhaps this will have to be accomplished with gripping stories, so audiences will not realize the technical limitations.

"It's a great alternative to mainstream films. I once saw a digital movie in New Delhi. It was so good, so funny and so wonderful that when it was finished, it was a great thing. No one remembered that it was a DV," Bi said.

Labels: Film

Posted by hera at 12:42 AM | Permalinks | Comments

Profit not culture drives Asian filmmakers

Sunday, December 22, 2002

Early this month, Singapore hosted a three-in-one media festival: The Asia Television Forum (ATF) 2002, the Asia Animation 2002 and the Asia Film Market & Conference (AFMC). Invited by organizer Reed Exhibitions, Hera Diani of The Jakarta Post filed the reports on the last two events.

What is the definition of an Asian film?
The subject, among many other issues, emerged during a discussion by professionals from the international and local film industries at the recent Asian Film Market & Conference (AFMC) in Singapore.

Held for the first time, the AFMC aimed to offer a comprehensive and integrated platform for professionals to meet, exchange ideas, carry out business transactions, explore co-production opportunities and promote Asian content.

During the three-day event, which kicked off on Dec. 3, producers, distributors, buyers and broadcasters sat together to address issues relating to the Asian film industry. The first discussion addressed the definition of an "Asian" film. The speakers concluded there was no such thing anymore.

"With the world becoming a global village, it becomes more difficult to define what an Asian film is. There is no longer boundaries in language, story line and financing, where the movie comes from and the location," said Thomas Chung, chief executive officer of China's Han Entertainment which produced this year's The Touch, an action flick starring and co-produced by Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh.

The success of 2001's Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, he said, was an exceptional case as there were few Asian films finding international success.

Chinese producer/actress Luo Yan said the world market was still pretty much ruled by the United States and therefore Asian filmmakers should produce movies to meet that desire.
"A movie is a product. At the end we have to make money, that's the reality. Hollywood (films) have no local content but it sells everywhere in the world, including Asian countries. Asian filmmakers have to get out of the circle and dream bigger," said Luo, president and chief executive officer of Silver Dream Productions.

The filmmakers thus have to develop a film with Asian content that appeals to the West.
"Language is a big issue. Again, Crouching Tiger is a miracle. But if you make the film in English, it will be easier to be marketed and will make the price increase," Chung said.

Singaporean producer/director Jonathan Foo added the "West" had certain views on Asia that Asian filmmakers must refer to.

"It's OK as it's a part of an educational process," he said.

The speakers' conclusions, however, were a little contradictive as there seemed to be a growing interest in Hollywood toward Asian films.

Despite Chung's remark, the success of Crouching Tiger is clear proof. There is also the remake of Japanese film The Ring by Steven Spielberg's Dreamworks Pictures and The Eye, the undisputed sleeper hit of 2002, which is creating waves in the United Kingdom, and attracting Tom Cruise's production company who has bought the rights for a remake.
It is indeed the uniqueness and diversity of Asian films that have won the hearts of the so-called global audience.

Sharing that opinion was Hong Kong director Kenneth Bi who said the speakers' focused more on the business aspect instead of art.

"When French people buy an Asian film, they want to see Asian people, speaking Asian, in Asian costumes in an Asian environment. That's the success of Crouching Tiger," said the 35-year-old director, who is considered one of Asia's pioneers in digital movies with 2000's A Small Miracle.
The Touch, he added, was basically a bad English movie with a Chinese setting, which only did well due to excessive promotion.

"You try to sell a global film but people around the world don't consider it a global film. They see it as it is. Great arts always come from the roots of the country. Even great commercial films have that. If it's just floating in the air, it won't work for anybody. Unless its for 10- to 13 year-old kids," Bi told the Post.

While the definition of "Asian" film is still debatable, the conference came up with interesting issue on co-production, the key strategy to overcome, particularly, budget constraints.
"Other advantages are the dual market, and creativity-wise, you have access to people and location," said Foo, who recently co-directed Song of the Stork, the first Singapore-Vietnam feature film co-production.

The historical film is the first international feature project about the Vietnam War shot entirely in Vietnam.

"It would be impossible to shoot a film with such story in Singapore," he said.
According to Michael Lionello Cowan -- producer/writer/joint managing director of Spice Factory in the UK -- fundamentally, co-production has to be driven from a creative point of view.

"Script is the least expensive thing. You can go around the company to find a co-production partner and bring the script," said Cowan who has written and produced several films as well as entertainment shows in the UK.

Unfortunately, he said, the script is the big weakness in Asian films, despite many talented human resources.

Meanwhile, Luo said she started going around studios in Hollywood with scripts she found on the internet or developed from novels.

"I didn't have any access so I just walked around the studios and offered them the scripts. You also have to prepare the budget and sales estimation for the company you want to co-produce with," said Luo, whose 2001's Pavilion of Women is a co-production with Universal Studio's starring Willem Dafoe.

Though the release in U.S. was hampered by the U.S.-China plane crash crisis, the film was ranked among the top three box office sellers in China in 2001.

"As a consideration, in China, actually there are many institutions that are willing to offer budgets, although the size (of the budget) is limited," Luo said.
There is also another institution like Comerica Bank -Comerica Entertainment Group who lend money for aspiring Asian filmmakers.

"The procedure starts from seeing the script first and then we discuss the budget of the film, sales estimation etc. There's no limit for the budget as long as the film is selling," Peter Anshin, the Asia Representative for the group, told the Post.

Asia, he said, was promising but it was hard to find Asian films that could be financed.
"The main problem is the language, the lack of stars and lack of understanding the system," he said, adding that Hong Kong is the most promising country.

Labels: Film

Posted by hera at 12:38 AM | Permalinks | Comments

'Eliana-Eliana': The film we have been waiting for

Sunday, June 16, 2002

Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Eliana Eliana *** (out of ****); Drama, 83 minutes; Starring Rachel Sayidina, Jajang C. Noer, Henidar Amroe, Arswendi Nasution, Marcella Zalianty; Directed by Riri Riza; A Miles Films production (Indonesian language)

Will we be able to say "finally" at long last?

That was the big question before seeing this much-anticipated movie, a winner at the recent Singapore Film Festival.

Will we be freed from the curse of pretentious art-house films mistaken for good cinema? Or will we still have to put up with the fact that the best that local filmmakers have to offer is children's movies or teen flicks?

Breathe a sigh of relief, because the answers are both in the affirmative for the first two questions, and "not anymore" for the third.

And while that "finally" is yet to be the kind written in capital letters and followed by exclamation marks, it is safe to say that this third film directed by Riri has again succeeded in bringing local moviemaking to another level, which is an exhilarating fact in itself.

Finally, someone has come to his senses and is making movies that people can relate to. This film, which opened in theaters on Friday, is the one for adults that we have been waiting for, the kind of movie that filmmakers should have been able to make a long time ago.

It is also more proof of Riri's talent as a filmmaker, after the huge success of 2000's Petualangan Sherina (Sherina's Adventure) and this year's Ada Apa Dengan Cinta? (What's With Love?), the aforementioned kiddie and teen flicks.

He directed the former, and acted as producer for the latter. But while both films are light, entertaining and slick, Eliana is raw, grim and a deeper exploration of its subject.

It tells of a love-hate relationship between mother and daughter, which is similar in theme to last year's Pasir Berbisik (Whispering Sand) without the dull vistas of sand, the big budget and the snoring of the audience -- and with the addition of some logic.

Its quality belies the fact that it qualifies as a low budget film, with production costs or only Rp 800 million (about US$80,000), small even by local standards (Petualangan cost some Rp 2.5 billion, while Ada Apa was Rp 4 billion).

Even on its tight budget, one-camera production, 14-day shoot and in digital format, Eliana succeeds in depicting a difficult relationship played out against the backdrop of the big bad city.

And, unlike most films these days, the relationship does not include raging hormones.

Eliana (Rachel) ran away to Jakarta from her hometown of Padang, West Sumatra, to escape an arranged marriage. Five years later, she is struggling with her job and dodging her landlord in her slum neighborhood when her widowed mother (Jajang) arrives with plane tickets to take Eliana home.

The meeting leads to an all-night taxi ride as Eliana looks for her housemate, Heni, who suddenly disappeared.

The ride is also a journey of disclosure, revealing many things between Eliana and her mother that have been buried throughout their lives.

Some filmmakers here believe that the less dialog, the better, and Riri is in this group with Eliana Eliana. But while his colleagues fail to fill those gaps where the words are supposed to be, the images speak for themselves here.

The gloomy, ugly face of Jakarta also is not only mere background: It is the story itself and adds its own poetic moments. Sometimes, it is stronger than the main plot, as we get to see the corners, the people, the dreams turning into nightmares in the urban sprawl.

Of the cast, Rachel cannot fulfill the demands of playing a rebellion with no direction in her life, acting as if she is back on the set of a soap.

Fortunately, Jajang is brilliant, testament to her long experience in theater and film.

She breathes life into the character of the defiant widow, making it natural, believable and real, whether she is scolding a taxi driver and trying to bring almost everyone into line, or finally letting go of the facade when she breaks down at seeing her reflection in the mirror of a dirty public toilet.

There are some other shortcomings, including lapses into pat dialog. Sometimes the plot drags, including in a confusing scene where Eliana meets Ratna (Marcella) as she searches for her friend.

It also turns out that the taxi driver's son is a photographer and filmmaker, which is simply unbelievable (especially as dad is working for one of the most notorious taxicab companies around).

Still, despite the faults, Riri shows that he is on his way: The three-star rating is not given merely for this film, but also for the proof of promise that even better things lie ahead.

Labels: Film, review

Posted by hera at 12:53 AM | Permalinks | Comments