Indonesian Movies 2010, Where the Indo movie lovers lurk ^_^ Options

[furansizuka]

As usual, the tradition continues

Track back links:
Thread of Indonesian Movies 2009
http://www.asiafinest.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=188259

Thread of Indonesian Movies 2008
http://www.asiafinest.com/forum/index.php?...=0&start=0#

Thread of Indonesian Movies 2007
http://www.asiafinest.com/forum/index.php?...t=0&start=0

Thread of Indonesian Movies 2006
http://www.asiafinest.com/forum/index.php?...=59992&st=0

Thread of Indonesian Movies 2005
http://www.asiafinest.com/forum/index.php?...ndonesian+Movie


Before moving on, let's give big applause to these films for their achievements:

1. Blind Pig Who Wants to Fly/Babi Buta Yang Ingin Terbang won prestigious FIPRESCI AWARD at the International Film Festival Rotterdam 2009 and Special Award NETPAC at the 2009 Golden Horse Awards Taiwan
2. Three Wishes Three Prayes/3 Doa 3 Cinta got Special Jury Prize at the Vesoul International Film Festival 2009 in France
3. Mengejar Ombak/Chasing Waves won 2 awards at the 2009 X-Dance Festival Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
4. Laskar Pelangi/Rainbow Troops won Best Film at the 2009 Asia Pacific Film Festival Taiwan, Best Editing and SIGNIS award at the 2009 Asian Film Awards Hong Kong, and 2009 Golden Butterfly Award at the International Festival of Films for Children And Young Adults in Iran
5. Pintu Terlarang/Forbidden Door won Best Film/Best Picture of the Year at Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival 2009 Korea
6. Macabre/Rumah Dara won Best Actress (Shareefa Danish) at Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival 2009 Korea
7. Perempuan Berkalung Sorban/Woman With A Turban won Best Supporting Actress (Widyawati) at the 2009 Asia Pacific Film Festival Taiwan
8. Jamilah And The President won Best Sound/Music at the 2009 Asia Pacific Film Festival Taiwan, NETPAC award at 2009 Asiatica Film Mediale Festival Rome Italy, and also Indonesia's entry for 2011 Oscar best foreign language category
9. Jermal/Fishing Platform won Grandprize at India International Film Festival 2009

Also taking critical notes are the first Indonesian colossal war film Merah Putih, the revival of martial art film Merantau, and the first musical animated movie Meraih Mimpi (Sing to the Dawn) which most peeps thought was made in Singapore (but not!). They got lots of attention and praise. Especially for Merantau, festival critics out there weigh in on this film

Now let the good times roll!

This post has been edited by furansizuka: Feb 6 2010, 11:57 PM

[Ralf]

Thanks for the start of the new thread and the round-up of significant movies.

But I'm with heartshapedbox in saying that Sammaria Simanjuntak's debut feature film cin(T)a really struck me as the best Indonesian film in recent years.
It certainly is the most audacious debut I have seen since Welles' Citizen Kane.
Sammaria and friends have crafted a film where the screenplay, cinematography, and other elements come together in way that is harmonious and yet strikingly original.
Indonesian films with "cinta" in the title abound, and the theme of inter-religious/inter-racial love may have been covered on both the big and small screens many times,
but the treatment here is unique within Indonesia, and more like the style of 1960s French New Wave Cinema. The leading lady even reminds me of Goddard's Anna Karina.
cin(T)a is almost a "short film", running at only 1hr 14min, but that helps it to stay focused on its main theme, rather than straying into typical romantic melodrama.
It was really a pleasure to watch. The characters are engaging, without being too familiar, and the screenplay is full of life and the dialogue is absolutely sparkling.
With a such a small cast, the two characters played by Sunny Soon and Saira Jihan must carry the whole film, and under the guidance of Sammaria, they carry the film perfectly.
I am sure we will continue to see quality film work from actor Sunny Soon, director Sammaria, and all the creative people involved in this movie.
It is heartening to see that low-budget indie films like this can rival and surpass the stuff churned out by the big studios.
Cheers to Sammaria and Sally Anom Sari for writing a story that challenges the Indonesian audience to think outside the square, and still gives everyone a thoroughly enjoyable movie.

cin(T)a movie trailer and IFF press release.



Sammaria in Melbourne at IFF2009. Sammaria in Melbourne with the Rumah Dara crew.Who stole my drink ?

[furansizuka]

Jamila And The President wins two film festival honors in France

The Jakarta Post | Fri, 02/05/2010 9:59 AM

Indonesian film Jamila dan Sang Presiden (Jamila and the President), written and directed by woman activist Ratna Sarumpaet, has won two honors at the Asian Film Festival in Vesoul, France.

The film was rated the best in two competition categories, namely the Prix de Public and the Prix Jury Lyceen, according to Gita L Murti, a social and cultural affairs official at the Indonesian Embassy in Paris in a statement to Antara state news agency in London on Thursday.

Jamila, screened at a number of international film festivals in Bangkok, Hong Kong and Australia, highlights the issues of poverty and underage sex trafficking in Indonesia.

Last year, the movie won a NETPAC Award at the Asiatica Film Mediale festival organized in Rome, Italy.

The movie has also been selected to represent Indonesia in the foreign language category, competing for the Oscar with movies from 64 other countries.

[furansizuka]

Cut Mini wins Best Actress award at Brussels Film Festival (for her teacher role in Laskar Pelangi)


Actress Cut Mini said she was over the moon when she found out she had been named Best Actress at the Brussels Film Festival.

The 36-year-old received an SMS from film director and producer Mira Lesmana informing her she had received the award for her role in Laskar Pelangi (Rainbow Warriors), where she plays a passionate teacher in a dilapidated school.

She happened to be dining with her pilates instructor when she heard the familiar sound of an SMS. “I immediately screamed and everyone looked at me,” she said.

Given she had never dreamed she would win an award in an overseas film festival, she said it was the one of the best days of her life.

“I didn’t expect this… I couldn’t speak when I first heard the news, I just cried,” she said on Tuesday.

“I mean… Who is this Cut Mini? I’m not as cool as actors from other countries. And I haven’t acted in many films,” she said.

She added she was very grateful for the praise she had received previously, after being crowned Best Actress last year at the Indonesian Movie Awards for the same role.

The adventure movie Laskar Pelangi is based on the best-selling Indonesian novel of the same title, written by Andrea Hirata. The novel recounts Hirata’s childhood through the story of an inspiring teacher and her 10 students in poverty-stricken Kampung Gantong in Belitong.

The Jakarta International Film Festival dubbed Laskar Pelangi — a big hit attracting 5 million viewers — “the highest grossing Indonesian box-office of all time”. Award-winning director Riri Riza released a sequel, Sang Pemimpi (The Dreamer), after directing Laskar Pelangi.

The Jakarta Post

[heartshapedbox]

Thanks for the start of the new thread and the round-up of significant movies.

But I'm with heartshapedbox in saying that Sammaria Simanjuntak's debut feature film cin(T)a really struck me as the best Indonesian film in recent years.
It certainly is the most audacious debut I have seen since Welles' Citizen Kane.
Sammaria and friends have crafted a film where the screenplay, cinematography, and other elements come together in way that is harmonious and yet strikingly original.
Indonesian films with "cinta" in the title abound, and the theme of inter-religious/inter-racial love may have been covered on both the big and small screens many times,
but the treatment here is unique within Indonesia, and more like the style of 1960s French New Wave Cinema. The leading lady even reminds me of Goddard's Anna Karina.
cin(T)a is almost a "short film", running at only 1hr 14min, but that helps it to stay focused on its main theme, rather than straying into typical romantic melodrama.
It was really a pleasure to watch. The characters are engaging, without being too familiar, and the screenplay is full of life and the dialogue is absolutely sparkling.
With a such a small cast, the two characters played by Sunny Soon and Saira Jihan must carry the whole film, and under the guidance of Sammaria, they carry the film perfectly.
I am sure we will continue to see quality film work from actor Sunny Soon, director Sammaria, and all the creative people involved in this movie.
It is heartening to see that low-budget indie films like this can rival and surpass the stuff churned out by the big studios.
Cheers to Sammaria and Sally Anom Sari for writing a story that challenges the Indonesian audience to think outside the square, and still gives everyone a thoroughly enjoyable movie.

cin(T)a movie trailer and IFF press release.

agree with you, Ralf...
I've seen many good Indonesian movies...but Cin(t)a is the most outstanding (in my opinion)
after watching, for a while i thought, 'Was it really Indonesian film? becoz it was just too good!"
i love the smart conversation...it didn't judge what was wrong and right, it just asked....
but i hate the ending

[heartshapedbox]

Too bad, i had no time to see Jamila. It's a rare chance to see Christine Hakim being a villain.
Was it a good movie, furan?

Congrats to Cut Mini.
She played very well. So when I saw her in Ponds ads, i couldn't believe she is the same woman in Laskar Pelangi

[Ralf]

Jamila And The President wins two film festival honors in France
The Jakarta Post | Fri, 02/05/2010 9:59 AM
Indonesian film Jamila dan Sang Presiden (Jamila and the President), written and directed by woman activist Ratna Sarumpaet, has won two honors at the Asian Film Festival in Vesoul, France.
The film was rated the best in two competition categories, namely the Prix de Public and the Prix Jury Lyceen, according to Gita L Murti, a social and cultural affairs official at the Indonesian Embassy in Paris in a statement to Antara state news agency in London on Thursday.
Jamila, screened at a number of international film festivals in Bangkok, Hong Kong and Australia, highlights the issues of poverty and underage sex trafficking in Indonesia.
Last year, the movie won a NETPAC Award at the Asiatica Film Mediale festival organized in Rome, Italy.
The movie has also been selected to represent Indonesia in the foreign language category, competing for the Oscar with movies from 64 other countries.

So much in the media about this film.... now I really want to see it.
Hope this film makes it to Hollywood and shows the world that there is such a thing as Indonesian Cinema.
At the same time it is good to see that Indonesian film makers have not been hung-up on Hollywood...... that is, they have been pursuing other avenues and international festivals.

Cut Mini wins Best Actress award at Brussels Film Festival (for her teacher role in Laskar Pelangi)
Actress Cut Mini said she was over the moon when she found out she had been named Best Actress at the Brussels Film Festival.
The Jakarta Post

Congratulations Cut Mini

agree with you, Ralf...
I've seen many good Indonesian movies...but Cin(t)a is the most outstanding (in my opinion)
after watching, for a while i thought, 'Was it really Indonesian film? becoz it was just too good!"
i love the smart conversation...it didn't judge what was wrong and right, it just asked....
but i hate the ending

I loved the ending because for one thing it leaves things open for contemplation and does not necessarily mean that their relationship is over.
Spoiler alert !
Also I loved the surprise with the "reality show/doco interview" twist at the end.
I love the 60s French New Wave-ish structure of the whole film, and in particular the ending, which really underscores everything that has preceded it.
With a bit more funding this film could have gone to the USA and knocked the dust and cobwebs off the Academy Awards boffins.

[furansizuka]

^ Now I want to see Cin(T)a badly! I hope I still can find the DVD in store >.<

[Ralf]

So I was hanging out with an Indonesian friend who has just arrived in Australia and the conversation turned to "how woefully bad are SE Asian TV shows".
But then again we have Indonesia's Metro TV collaborating with In Docs to bring us a bunch of refreshing new documentaries every year.
It got widespread coverage in the Jakarta Post :

The Jakarta Post
Saturday, September 20, 2008
By Nauval Yazid

Think local TV is destroying our minds ?
Think again.
For every ton of nonsensical and overblown soaps, there are a handful of shows depicting real lives in a less extravagant manner.
In short, they are far cry from the staged and painstakingly scripted "reality" shows.

One place to look for these is in the Eagle Awards, an annual documentary competition for first-time filmmakers held by private news station Metro TV with In Docs (Indonesian Documentaries), an organization that aims to introduce and distribute the craft of the documentary genre to anyone with great filmmaking aspirations. If we have to single out a life-changing TV show addressing issues that have often caught both local and national governments off-guard, Eagle has more than what it takes to claim that label. The winning films in the past two years have brought wide attention to the disadvantages underprivileged people face in getting access to proper healthcare and education.

In 2006, Suster Apung (The Floating Nurse) profiled Nurse Rabiah, a lone fighter who attended to the sick in isolated areas of South Sulawesi using outdated medical tools and a heavily damaged boat unfit for the rough sea crossings needed to visit her patients.
Her story moved no one less than Vice President Jusuf Kalla to donate a better transportation system for her and medical equipment to support her noble and nonprofit service.

Last year's winner, Kepala Sekolahku Pemulung (My Headmaster: The Garbage Collector), touched and shocked many with its almost unthinkable story: A principal of a poor elementary school in Jakarta has a side job collecting garbage to make ends meet.
What happened since was an injection of financial aid from the education board in the Greater Jakarta Administration to save the school and the principal's life.

Given the spectrum of the competition's theme this year -- "Hijau Indonesiaku" (My Green Indonesia) -- it remains to be seen whether one or all of five finalists will have the same dramatic impact as the these winners from the past two years.
For what it's worth from the audience's point of view, the theme could not be more apparent in giving TV viewers something to root for -- panoramic scenes of nature and life, albeit the high-minded concerns underlying every film selected.

Bearing the most dramatic title of all, Prahara Tsunami Bertabur Bakau (Raising Mangroves After the Tsunami), directed by Emanuel Tome Hayon & Mikhael Yosviranto, tells the story of one Baba Akong who almost single-handedly championed planting mangroves after his village in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, was completely destroyed by a tsunami in December 1992. After initial resistance from his fellow villagers, his persistence paid off: 23 acres of mangrove lands give the people a decent living, and Akong was recently nominated for the Kalpataru award in environmental pioneering earlier this year.

A slightly similar spirit of eco-entrepreneurship is evident in Pulau Bangka Menangis (The Crying Bangka Island), directed by Rudi Harlan and Nursubah from Bangka Belitung. The film follows the lives of two friends, Fatoni and Edy Elson, who both work in tin mines until they realize the tin quality in Bangka has gradually diminished to the extent it is almost nonexistent. While Edy remains faithful to his profession and keeps on digging and searching for new tin mines throughout the entire land, Fatoni quits his job and decides to plant rubber and palm trees in the land he previously mined. Despite their contrasting approaches, the two remain friends.

Two other films focus on ecological problems solved collectively rather than by individual efforts.
In Buah Yang Menunggu Mati (Fruit Awaits Its Death), directors Anom Bayu Santoso and Badrudin Kurniawan inspect the suspicious decline in the quality of apple plantations in Batu, East Java. Once hailed as the icon of the city, apples produced in Batu are facing their dying days as a result of excessive use of pesticide in past decades.

On a wider scope, Menjual Mimpi di Sambak (Selling Dreams in Sambak) observes residents of Sambak village in Magelang, Central Java, trying to preserve their main forest and prevent illegal logging by planting fruit trees throughout the forest and turning the forest into an eco-tourism destination.

The fifth finalist, Tanah Terakhir (The Last Land), directed by Rahmawati and Esti Asmalia, looks at the contrasting conditions between the big companies using the land along River Krio in West Kalimantan and the native residents whose lives have not been improved by the supposedly beneficial invasion. While the premise is stated clearly in the beginning, most of the film is dominated by a slightly out-of-place father-and-son story that takes a look at one father who puts all his efforts into the ownership of his lands, compared with his son's spoiled and irresponsible attitude.

Entertaining as it may be, we cannot help feeling the lack of focus in delivering what is supposedly a strong environment-related theme. This flaw can be found in all films to varying degrees, often compounded by a lack of emotional impact and coherent narrative lines that make the films easier to follow. Still, despite these minor points, these productions could not be more worth applauding, especially if we take into account that these are the directors' first forays into serious filmmaking, with limited time to do more coherent research on their subjects or to master the necessary technical skills during the production process. As honestly shared during the Eagle Awards' premiere screenings earlier this week in Erasmus Huis, the finalists come with various life backgrounds. Some of them had to quit their full-time jobs to dedicate their time to making the films, and others were left clueless when asked what kind of camera was used in making their films.

Amateur as they are right now, we can only be amazed by two things: That their subjects are already engaging and that, by delving into their offerings, we are glad that TV has made us think again.

[furansizuka]

Well I like 'Suster Terapung' If I'm not mistaken it got 3rd place at Asian Television Awards for best doc. Anyways, here's interview with Edwin, the director of 'Blind Pig Who Wants to Fly' > LINK

In 2009, his unusual feature-length film debut, “Babi Buta Yang Ingin Terbang” (“Blind Pig Who Wants to Fly”), was screened at a number of international film festivals, including in Pusan, South Korea, Seattle in the United States and Thessaloniki, Greece.

The film has won the director numerous accolades. Edwin was the recipient of the Silver Montgolfiere and the Young Audience awards from the Festival of the Three Continents in Nantes, France.

He also received the Fipresci Award from the International Federation of Film Critics at the International Rotterdam Film Festival in the Netherlands.

While his name may not necessarily be mentioned in the same breath as other internationally acclaimed Indonesian film directors, like Riri Riza, Garin Nugroho and Nia Dinata, there is no question that Edwin is one of the rising stars of Indonesian cinema.

[Ralf]

Kepala Sekolahku Pemulung





Following on from the Metro TV Eagle Award winners listed above, this short documentary, Kepala Sekolahku Pemulung (My Schoolmaster the garbage collector), really impressed me.
It was technically well-made and very much in the style of Garin Nugroho's many socio-political documentaries about urban Indonesia. eg Water & Romi - about the river cleaners and the deteriorating state of the waterways around Jakarta.
Kepala Sekolahku Pemulung was made by first-time film makers Jastis Arimba, Victor Doloksaribu, Padri Nadeak, Aline Jusria, Rhino Ariefiansyah and Kioen Moe.
In this short documentary they highlight the fact that despite the politicians boasting that Jakarta has the best education funding, there are still teachers who need to take on meanial second jobs such as garbage collecting, in order to make ends meet. Mahmud is the principal of a junior highschool in the outer suburbs of Jakarta, and this doco follows a day in his life, as he manages the education of his students as well as his second job collecting garbage. What is heartening to see is that this teacher does not feel ashamed, but instead feels proud to be doing something good for his neighborhood, earn a little money on the side, and perhaps open people's eyes to the reality far removed from the office of the politicians. While some of his colleagues would probably take the path of protest marches, he seems to feel that the revolution must begin within yourself.

Mind you things changed a bit after Metro TV aired this film.
Pak Mahmud appeared on the TV show Kick Andy and you can read a bit about that in Nur's blog : http://noerce.blogspot.com/2007/11/kick-an...-sekolahku.html
And you can watch that episode here : http://fxmuchtar.multiply.com/video/item/6...eorang_pemulung

The schoolmaster/garbage collector reminds me of my own work which sees me wearing nice clothes when promoting the Indonesian Film Festival and liaising with the media and film distributors in Melbourne, and then donning rags and dirty overalls for my job as industrial chimney sweep.

[furansizuka]

The schoolmaster/garbage collector reminds me of my own work which sees me wearing nice clothes when promoting the Indonesian Film Festival and liaising with the media and film distributors in Melbourne, and then donning rags and dirty overalls for my job as industrial chimney sweep.

Somebody should make a doco of you!

[Ralf]

Somebody should make a doco of you!

There was a 15 minute segment on the TV show called Australia's Worst Jobs, but they edited out everyone's scenes except the boss Michael O'Connor.
The TV crew felt the story would be more focused with just one character to narrate and anchor the film.
But hey, the Ch31 coverage of the Indonesian Film Festival will have me as the English language media correspondent.

[furansizuka]

^ Congrats, Ralf

The 80's box office Gita Cinta is reviving on stage:
http://www.gitacintathemusical.com/
'Gita Cinta': Teen Love to the Tune of the ’80s

For the 70-80's generation Gita Cinta is like the 80's version of Ada Apa Dengan Cinta.

This post has been edited by furansizuka: Feb 27 2010, 04:07 AM

[Ralf]

A2K MEDIA PTY LTD

A2K Media have announced a deal to distribute Indonesian and Malaysian DVDs in Australia.

Straight from their website, with a bit of extra information from me :

The creators and directors of A2K Media are Ade Djajamihardja and Kate Stephens.
With a strong background in film and television at international level with just about every type of program format, A2K Media has grown to initiate and collaborate in media production with both the local and overseas markets.
A2K Media also works closely with Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore and promotes the distribution of regional films within Australia.

A2K Media is based in Melbourne, Australia and specialises in production, distribution, events and consulting.
With several exciting projects in both development and production, A2K Media strives to create and facilitate content for all screen platforms that contributes substantive content to society and also excites, engages and inspires.

Ade Djajamihardja's passion and commitment is backed up by years of international media production.
Together with Kate Stephens and A2K Media, they have been running the Australian Malaysian Film Festival and working together with the Indonesian Film Festival in Melbourne.
Joint experience spans events management, industry consultancy, film and television production (Kambing Jantan, Salam Café, Between 2 Skies), CEO Ten on Ten Pictures/Enfiniti Productions Malaysia, SPH Media Works Singapore, Open Channel Melbourne, assistant director ABC, producer MediaCorp Singapore, plus developing industry training packages and tertiary education media studies lectures.


Contact kate@a2kmedia.com.au or call (03) 9530 5314 now and let A2K Media work with you because your ideas deserve it

[materialgurl]

congratulation. hopes through films it increase more understanding between indonesia, specifically, and australia.

[furansizuka]

Tanah Air Beta

Cast: Alexandra Gottardo, Lukman Sardi, Zumi Zola
Premiere: June 2010

I'm anticipating a movie from the Denias producer called Tanah Air Beta (My Fatherland/My Homeland). It takes place in Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT), the borderline between Indonesia and Timor Leste. So according to Ari Sihasale, the producer, the film will not touch political issue, but rather, he wants to show there are a lot of Timor Leste people who still love Indonesia. The film is based on a true story. About a mother who's searching for her son after they separated since 1999 because of the referendum. Actress Alexandra Gottardo will play the mother. The movie will release on June.

This post has been edited by furansizuka: Mar 6 2010, 01:06 AM

[Ralf]

Should be good, coming from Ari Sihasale.

Also noticed that Lukman Sardi is in it.
That guy is everywhere. One of the most hard working actors in the industry.
Does he ever take a holiday ?

[Majapahitans]

Tanah Air Beta

Cast: Alexandra Gottardo, Lukman Sardi, Zumi Zola
Premiere: June 2010

I'm anticipating a movie from the Denias producer called Tanah Air Beta (My Fatherland/My Homeland). It takes place in Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT), the borderline between Indonesia and Timor Leste. So according to Ari Sihasale, the producer, the film will not touch political issue, but rather, he wants to show there are a lot of Timor Leste people who still love Indonesia. The film is based on a true story. About a mother who's searching for her son after they separated since 1999 because of the referendum. Actress Alexandra Gottardo will play the mother. The movie will release on June.

Fascinating..., now film about East Timor from (pro) Indonesian POV....
I'm curious... a counter from Australian "Balibo"?

[furansizuka]

@ Ralf: Yep, Lukman Sardi is everywhere, at least in good movies. He will play in Merah Putih 2 (sequel) too this year.
@ Majjy: Hmm..it could be.