A Sign of Change as Indonesian Soldiers Watch ‘The Look of Silence’

Jakarta Globe, Mar 08, 2015

‘Senyap’, or ‘The Look of Silence’. (JG Photo/ Yudhi Sukma Wijaya)

Jakarta. Legislators, historians and human rights activists have hailed a local military commander’s move to have his soldiers in Semarang, Central Java, watch “The Look of Silence” by award-winning American director Joshua Oppenheimer — a documentary on the state’s purge of suspected communist sympathizers that left up to 500,000 people dead.

Maman Imanulhaq, a legislator from the National Awakening Party (PKB), said the willingness of Semarang military commander to require his men to watch the movie marked “good progress” toward creating professional soldiers with a healthy respect for human rights.

“I’m sure that some of them will not agree with the movie, but by watching it we can see that they want to try to understand,” he said. “Hopefully, if they don’t agree then they can make another movie challenging it, not use violence or ban it.”

He expressed hope that the fact that military officers had embraced rather than shunned the documentary was an indication that there might be a willingness by the authorities to look into the widespread abuses committed by the military and state-sponsored militias during the purge that ran from 1965 to 1966.

The official narrative is that the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) sparked the whole incident by attempting a coup to take down then-president Sukarno. That story, though, has long been debunked by independent historians and rights activists as a cover for the military, led by Gen. Suharto, to stage its own ouster of Sukarno.

The military’s killing spree resulted in the deaths or disappearances of up to half a million people suspected of being members of the PKI — at the time the biggest communist party in the world after those in China and the USSR — or communist sympathizers.

Tunggal Pawestri, a right activist, welcomed the screening of “Senyap,” which looks back at the tragedy through the eyes of a relative of one of the victims, saying that could serve as a “gateway to discussion and reconciliation efforts” between the military and those it killed.

Oppenheimer, the documentary’s Oscar-nominated director, said he felt odd seeing photos of hundreds of soldiers in full uniform as if they wanted to go to war sit in front of a screen that was showing his film.

He said in a statement that the scene was surreal for him, but at the same time provided a ray of hope. He said he hoped that the well-recorded military involvement in canceling and banning the movie would not happen again.

Instead, he said, in the future the military should be actively involved in discussions and help answer questions during community events.

On the reconciliation process in Indonesia, he said that a solitary event of soldiers watching the documentary was not all that significant, considering the central government’s policy on human rights.

After half a century of impunity, Oppenheimer said he would not rush to conclude that reconciliation, a revelation of the truth, justice and rehabilitation for victims would take place just because of one screening attended by soldiers.

Bonnie Triyana, a historian, also doubted if making soldiers view the documentary would change the government’s approach to the massacre.

“This is good news. However, it’s too early to say whether it will affect the state’s policy on the 1965 killings,” he said.

Hundreds of soldiers in Semarang, attended the screening of “Look of Silence” on Feb. 26 in the headquarters of the district military command and ordered by the commander, Lt. Col. Taufik Zega.

“The screening was aimed at clarifying the intention of the documentary production, in order to avoid misunderstandings,” Central Java’s Diponegoro Military Command said on its website, although it stopped short of explaining what misunderstandings.

“The screening was part of efforts to examine facts about what actually happened in 1965, because many people have conflicting opinions in regards to what happened,” it added.

By watching the movie, soldiers were expected to be able to explain to the public the content of the movie and its connections with the Indonesian Military (TNI), when confronted about the issue, the site said.

“The Look of Silence,” which first screened last year, is a follow-up to Oppenheimer’s Oscar-nominated documentary “The Act of Killing,” released two years earlier.

While “The Act of Killing” explores the anti-communist pogrom by getting the perpetrators to re-enact their crimes, “Look of Silence” looks at the massacre through the eyes of its victims.

In 1965, Ramli was murdered as a teenager for his alleged support of the PKI. The film crew follows his brother, Adi Rukun, born 1968, as he meets and confronts Ramli’s murderers and their families.

When “The Act of Killing” was released in 2012, it was screened in secret in Indonesia, for fear of government retaliation.

“The Look of Silence,” though, premiered with a public viewing in Jakarta on Nov. 10 — National Heroes Day — last year.

Indonesia’s National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has reaffirmed its support for the screening of the film throughout Indonesia, stating that it was a part of human rights education and national reconciliation.

Nevertheless, the movie has been met with rejection from some groups, such as the hard-line Islamic People’s Forum (FUI), whose members stormed the campus of Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta in December while a student organization was screening the film.

The screening of 'The Look of Silence' was held in the headquarters of the

 district military command, attended by the commander, Lt. Col. Taufik Zega,

 as well as chiefs of subdistrict military units under his supervision (Photo

courtesy of the Indonesian Military)

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Indonesian Soldiers Ordered to Watch ‘The Look of Silence’

Jakarta Globe, Mar 04, 2015

The screening of 'The Look of Silence' was held in the headquarters of the
 district military command, attended by the commander, Lt. Col. Taufik Zega,
 as well as chiefs of subdistrict military units under his supervision (Photo
courtesy of the Indonesian Military)

Semarang. Hundreds of members of the military command in Central Java’s capital, Semarang, attended the screening of “Senyap” (“The Look of Silence”) last week by award-winning American director Joshua Oppenheimer — a documentary movie on Indonesia’s bloody past of anti-communist purge, which has often been blamed on the Indonesian Military.

The screening was held about the same time that “Look of Silence” was awarded a Bodil Award from the Danish Film Critics Association for best documentary film.

The screening was held in the headquarters of the district military command, attended by the commander, Lt. Col. Taufik Zega, as well as chiefs of subdistrict military units under his supervision.

“The screening was aimed at clarifying the intention of the documentary production, in order to avoid misunderstandings,” Central Java’s Diponegoro Military Command said on its website, although it stopped short of explaining what misunderstandings.

“The screening was part of efforts to examine facts about what actually happened in 1965, because many people have conflicting opinions in regards to what happened in 1965,” it added.

By watching the movie, soldiers were expected to be able to explain to the public the content of the movie and its connections with the Indonesian Military, when confronted about the issue, the website added.

Indonesia’s anti-communist purge in 1965-66, during which at least 500,000 people were estimated to be killed, was led by the Indonesian Military, following a failed coup attempt by the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), which has been banned since then.

“Look of Silence,” which first screened last year, is a follow-up to Oppenheimer’s Oscar-nominated documentary “Jagal” (“The Act of Killing),” released two years before.

While “The Act of Killing” explores the anti-communist pogrom by getting the perpetrators to re-enact their crimes, “Look of Silence” looks at the massacre through the eyes of its victims.

In 1965, Ramli was murdered as a teenager for his alleged support of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI). The film crew follows his brother, Adi Rukun, who was born 1968, as he meets and confronts Ramli’s murderers and their families.

When “The Act of Killing” was released in 2012, it was screened in secret in Indonesia, for fear of government retaliation.

“The Look of Silence,” though, premiered with a public viewing in Jakarta on Nov. 10 — Heroes Day — last year.

Indonesia’s National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has reaffirmed its support for the screening of the movie throughout Indonesia, stating that this is a part of human rights education and national reconciliation in the nation.

Nevertheless, the movie has met with rejection from some groups, such as the hard-line Islamic People’s Forum, whose members stormed the campus of Gadjah Mada University (UGM) in Yogyakarta in December last year while a student organization was screening the movie

The protesters mistakenly argued that the film promoted communism — a “known enemy of Islam” — and its return to Indonesia.

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The Kenya Dayak’s ‘Journey Home’ to Their Tribal Roots

Jakarta Globe, Tunggul Wirajuda, Jul 14, 2014

Filmmaker David Metcalf will host a fundraiser exhibition in August to fund his
 film ‘The Journey Home’, which aims to raise awareness about the importance
 and wisdom of indigenous culture in Indonesia and around the world. (Photo
courtesy of David Metcalf)

To foreign observers the 800 inhabitants of the village of Setulang live in a rustic idyll at the edge of a pristine forest. But these members of the Kenya Dayak that live in the North Kalimantan district of Malinau yearn for a paradise steeped in the traditions of their tribe.

“I left our original homelands when I was a small boy. But I have happy memories of my time growing up in the forests and playing in the rivers,” says Pilius, a village elder, who last saw his ancestral lands in 1969.

The land that Pilius remembers is an area of forests which they call Tala Olen , or “the forbidden forest.”

The tribesmen, particularly the elders, feel a spiritual connection to Tala Olen’s forests, rivers and land, located in an area called Long Saan, which is an eight-day journey by canoe up the Kayan River.

There are strict cultural rules about cutting down the trees in the forest or damaging it in any way, a reverence that has not changed despite their move to Setulang for economic reasons. The draw of Tala Olen is also felt by their descendants who are charmed by the elders’ stories of paradise.

“My grandfather told me many stories of growing up [in Tala Olen ] and how they lived back then. His description of it made it look like paradise,” says Herman, a young villager. “I would love to visit and pay my respects to him.”

But the Kenya Dayak’s ancient way of life and their culture of preserving the forest is under threat. Here in Kalimantan, logging and dam projects are destroying huge swathes of the forest.

Environmentalists estimate that over 52 percent of Kalimantan’s forests has already been lost.

“We don’t exactly know what will happen in the future. Will the next generation keep our agreement [to conserve the land], or will they damage it, and open new land to loggers to serve their self interest?” Kenya Dayak elder Kole Adjang asks.

“ We hope that by example [sic], our great grandchildren will also take care of our land and Tala Olen.”

Taking the Dayak’s home

In the face of these threats to Borneo’s cultural history, photographer David “Dayak Dave” Metcalf is seeking to help reunite the Dayak with their ancestral homelands.

As with many indigenous peoples throughout Indonesia, such as the Asmat and Kamoro tribes of Papua or the Badui in Java, the Kenya are hampered by poverty. As such, they can’t afford the cost of the journey to Tala Olen .

Metcalf seeks to provide the means for the villagers to revisit their homelands, a journey that he intends to chronicle in a film he will title “ The Journey Home .”

“I came up with the idea of granting the tribe their dream of visiting their ancestors’ burial grounds deep in the heart of the forest,” says the Bali-based New Zealander, adding that the journey entails more than the just the nostalgia of homecoming.

“We need to raise funds to make the film. As things currently stand, the logistics are only sufficient to take six elders to Long Saan,” says Metcalf, who is also the author of “ Indonesia’s Hidden Heritage: Cultural Journeys of Discovery ,” a chronicle of his travels through Indonesia.

Metcalf is putting on a fundraiser at the opening of an exhibition on indigenous photography in Jakarta’s Kunstkring Paleis cultural exhibition hall on Aug. 12.

The evening, which will feature eminent Indonesian designer Harry Darsono and New Zealand Ambassador David Taylor, will include performances of traditional Dayak dances.

“We hope that through raising funds to bring the elders back to their ancestral village and making a multimedia documentary about the journey, we can raise awareness of the threats to their unique way of life,” Metcalf says.

He adds that similar events will also be held at the American Club. To date, Metcalf has raised about $2,000 of the estimated $25,000 that he needs for project.

Filmmaker David Metcalf will host a fundraiser exhibition in August to fund his
 film ‘The Journey Home’, which aims to raise awareness about the importance
 and wisdom of indigenous culture in Indonesia and around the world. (Photo
courtesy of David Metcalf)

Collective effort

“The Journey Home” will be shot by a film crew from seven nations; among them New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. They include American documentary filmmaker Jason Houston, who was known for his work with the Dayak in the Malaysian side of Borneo, Robby, a member of the Indonesian world music group Navicula, and Bali-based artist Wolfgang Widmoser, whose work inspired much of the look for the Hollywood blockbuster “Avatar.”

Native American Kevin Locke, an elder from the Lakota Sioux tribe, will also be taking part. While the cultural connection between the Dayak and native Americans is very strong, Locke’s participation marks the first time that a connection between these two cultures has been undertaken.

“One of the primary purposes of [“The Journey Home”] is to raise awareness in Indonesia and other countries about the importance and wisdom of indigenous cultures around the world. This journey is about connecting cultures through art, dance, song and ancient wisdom,” Metcalf says.

“By creating a wider expression and voice for indigenous cultures globally, we can find common ground through music and dance and ancestral prayers.”

Most of all, the film will showcase Kalimantan and its place in the world.

“Kalimantan is Asia’s Amazon, representing 1 percent of the earth’s surface but 5 percent of its flora and fauna, including untold numbers of trees and plants still undiscovered by mankind. As one of the most ecologically diverse landscapes on the planet, we want to raise awareness about the Dayak people that live in Kalimantan’s forests and rivers,” Metcalf says.

“This is all the more imperative, as Kalimantan is also facing the fallout from coal and gold mining, the latter which is poisoning its streams, aside from better known problems like illegal logging and deforestation.”

Metcalf and his team of filmmakers plan to release “The Journey Home” in Indonesia and abroad by the end of this year. He also plans to pitch the film to Discovery Channel and National Geographic.

To help Metcalf and the Kenya Dayaks in their quest, contact him at www.fundrazr.com.

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"Soul Communication" - Feb 22-23, 2014 (Kryon Channelling by Lee Carroll) - (Text version Part 1, Text version Part 2)

"... Some of you will walk into the forest and you'll feel it. It surrounds you with its love and beauty. Gaia speaks to you. The trees are pushing out oxygen with a benevolent system of photosynthesis. The plants give you oxygen and you give them carbon dioxide. What a system! Look around. Science will say that system happened by accident - a random occurrence. Do you believe that? What a beautiful system! The trees themselves know who you are. You walk into the forest and you feel it hug you, but perhaps another is next to you who came with a chainsaw. They don't care and they don't feel it. To them, the forest is only a resource. What's the difference between the two of you? There's no judgment here, I'm just asking you. What do you think the difference is? The answer: You're letting multidimensional awareness in and they are not. You see, you are becoming more aware of multidimensional soul communication. In this case, it's your enormous soul energy communicating with the other parts of the planet who are also multidimensional.

When you make the decision that it's OK to feel this energy, it will be there. Most of humanity so far has not made that decision. They block it. The law is this - this communication will come to you only with your allowance. The moment you open the door of allowance, you may begin to feel it. Those are our rules.

It's not just allowance for communication from the creative source, but also from an amazing number of what we would call other benevolent energies. These others are represented by groups with names that you have given them. They also cannot get through to you unless you allow it. That's their rule as well. Your names for them are Pleiadians, Arcturians, Sirians, Hathors or those from Orion. There are many more, but unless you open to the possibility of them, they can't communicate either.

Most of humanity will stand next to you as you communicate and think you're not well. That's the way it looks to them. Listen, dear ones, the benevolent groups who represent your DNA essence [your seed biology] and who know who you are are many. The amount of help you have on this planet is staggering, yet the majority of humanity will not allow awareness of it or let the possibility into their reality.. ..."

Indonesia Looks to an ‘Asian Century’ With China

Jakarta Globe, Vita A.D. Busyra, May 28, 2014

Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, second from right, and
 Chinese President Xi Jinping — accompanied by their wives — shake hands
 during their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta in this file photo taken
 on Oct. 2, 2013. Xi’s stop in Jakarta is part of his first official trip across Southeast
Asia. (AFP Photo/Bay Ismoyo)

Jakarta. The Indonesian-Chinese Friendship Association, or PPIT, has officially inaugurated its new 2014-2016 board of supervisors, trustees and advisory council, as it seeks to continue improving the bilateral relations between the two countries in the social, economic and cultural sectors.

PPIT chairman Bondan Gunawan, who served as the Indonesian state secretary in 2000, said on Saturday that Indonesia and China had “countless commonalities” and the need to enhance strategic cooperation should be targeted “not only by strengthening the bilateral relationship, but also increasing the compactness through education, art and culture, sports and humanitarian collaboration.”

“With the appointment of new PPIT board members, coming from various backgrounds and walks of life, we would like to show that Indonesian-Chinese have a strong feeling for Indonesia and a spirit to nurture better relations and cooperation between the two countries,” he told the Jakarta Globe.

“They also have the competence as well as alacrity to mingle with other Indonesians to build a better and greater nation in the future.”

Bondan said several programs were planned by the association, including a film festival in Beijing, and Indonesian-Chinese student exchange program, and the joint production of traditional Chinese medicine.

Sinta Nuriyah, the widow of the late former president Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid — who ended a decades-long restriction on the practice of Chinese traditions and observations of Chinese holidays imposed by the strongman Suharto — also attended the inauguration and delivered a short remark stating her full support for the association.

Xiao Yiwu, the counselor for cultural affairs at the Chinese Embassy in Jakarta, underscored the importance of sustainable comprehensive strategic partnerships.

“President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono once said that both countries must continuously boost more partnerships in economics, politics, trade and culture as well as increasing people-to-people communication,” he said.

Last year, bilateral trade between the two countries amounted to $52.45 billion, with the value expected to top $ 80 billion by 2015. Direct investment by China in Indonesia amounted to $292.1 billion last year, a dramatic increase from $141 billion the previous year.

Esti Andayani, the Foreign Ministry’s director general for information and public diplomacy, pledged support for the PPIT’s programs.

“We’ve entered what we call the ‘Asian Century,’ in which all countries in Asia, including Indonesia and China, play a pivotal role at the regional and global levels,” Esti said. “And with both countries’ sharing the same vision and perception on, for example, climate change, food security, energy and global financial institution reformation, we’ve come to agree to increase cooperation and coordination, while upholding the commitment to peace, stability and prosperity for the region and on the international stage.”

Sukarno’s Daughter Given Rights to Biopic

Jakarta Globe, Lenny Tristia Tambun, Mar 11, 2014

A still from the official trailer of ‘Soekarno – Indonesia Merdeka.’
(YouTube Image)

Jakarta. The Central Jakarta Commercial Court has handed over the rights to a popular biopic about Indonesia’s founding president to his second daughter Rachmawati Sukarnoputri after a months-long legal dispute over the film’s content.

Based on the verdict, the court ruled that producer Raam Punjabi and director Hanung Bramantyo have violated the intellectual rights of the Sukarno family.

“The legal process has been going on for three months, and thank God, the judge has decided that the rights to ['Soekarno: Indonesia Merdeka'] are mine,” Rachmawati said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Rachmawati’s lawyer Leonard Simorangkir added that she will proceed to claim material compensation for the film, though the amount of money is still undecided.

“The movie made a profit,” Leonard said. “We want to claim the profit through legal means. It’s up to Ibu Rachmawati where she wants to give the money to.”

However, according to the lawsuit, Rachmawati only asked Raam Punjabi and Hanung Bramantyo to apologize and pay a symbolic sum of Rp 2 ($0.000176).

“In this lawsuit, its not the amount of money that Ibu Rachmawati concerned about,” Leonard said. “The important thing is that they feel guilty and pay the damages, even though it’s only Rp 2.”

Speaking on the topic of biopics, Rachmawati stressed that all filmmakers have the right to make films about important historical figures, as long as they obtain the consent of their descendants beforehand.

“In this case, we made an agreement that had to be obeyed by both parties,” she said. “It turned out that the party that partnered with me flouted the agreement and made the film different from the original script. It ruined Sukarno’s character.”

She said that she came up with the original idea for the movie and only hired Hanung to direct the movie on the recommendation of prominent Indonesian actress Widyawati.

“Hanung was merely a painter I asked to paint,” she said. “The plans and ideas were mine. I knew my father much better than he and Raam Punjabi did.”

Rachmawati had already filed a separate defamation lawsuit with the special crimes division of the Jakarta Police last year.

“I hope that they can be made suspects as soon as possible,” she said.

New Soekarno Film Keeps History Alive

Jakarta Globe, Lisa Siregar, December 16, 2013

Actor Ario Bayu, center, as former President Soekarno in the new film
‘Soekarno: Indonesia Merdeka.’ (Photo courtesy of MVP Pictures)

Soekarno is best remembered as Indonesia’s first president. The man whose immortal words declared Indonesia as a new, free nation emerging from the destruction and chaos of World War II. But to many Indonesians, he is also remembered as a man of action who disliked being dependent on any party.

One of his most famous sayings was “ Jas Merah ,” short for “ Jangan Sekail kali Meninggalkan Sejarah ” or “do not ever forget the history.”

It is a strong statement and often quoted in many texts.

“Soekarno: Indonesia Merdeka” the movie is an effort to keep the history alive for many generations. Director Hanung Bramantyo, popular for directing religi-drama hits such as “Ayat-Ayat Cinta” (“The Verses of Love”) and “Sang Pencerah” (“The Enlightened One”), said his newest film is the only one about history that relives the moment of our proclamation of independence. Most Indonesians have heard Soekarno’s voice when reading the text, but no real footage from the extremely important event, so Hanung decided to tackle that.

“I made this film to commemorate Soekarno, and naturally, there has to be a scene of when he proclaimed independence,” he said.

Unlike the recent film “Lincoln,” starring Daniel Day Lewis, which only highlights the last years of the former American president’s life, “Soekarno: Indonesia Merdeka” has a very ambitious script that tells the story of Soekarno beginning with his childhood.

Before Soekarno, he was named Kusno, and as a young child, he was frail and very prone to illness. His father changed his name to Soekarno in the hope that the boy would someday be a knight like legendary hero Adipati Karno.

At age 24, Soekarno (Ario Bayu) gives a very captivating speech demanding independence from the colonial government. He is then exiled to Ende and Bengkulu, before finally returning to Java upon the arrival of the Japanese army.

The film reveals Soekarno’s qualities as a statesman and a ladies’ man. Known for being married to nine women, the film includes two — his second wife Inggit (Maudy Koesnaedi), who was with him during his difficult times, and his third wife Fatmawati (Tika Bravani) who tailored the Indonesian flag used during the proclamation of independence.

Lukman Sardi portrays Soekarno’s sidekick, Hatta, while Tanta Ginting gives a powerful performance as Sjahrir, a man with a fierce personality and short-tempered remarks. These three figures often disagree with each other in their ways of thinking. Through their dialogues, members of the audience see the fate of their nation state as discussed decades ago.

The script, also written by Hanung, is based on different literary sources, such as Soekarno’s autobiography by Cindy Adams, “Penyambung Lidah Rakyat,” “Di Bawah Bendera Revolusi” and other references from other real characters involved in the story. Initially, Hanung wanted to create a Soekarno trilogy but after many discussions and qualitative research, he decided to do only one first.

“If this one is doing well, we hope we will be able to make two other movies,” he said.

Hanung said this film is his interpretation of the history of Soekarno. When reading literature for research, he was perplexed by the complexity of Soekarno’s character. One question lingered in his mind while developing the script.

“It’s whether or not Indonesia would exist if there was no Soekarno,” he said.

The film was not without challenges. During production, Hanung encountered problems with Rachmawati Soekarnoputri, the former president’s daughter and the current head of Yayasan Pendidikan Soekarno. Soekarno’s family wanted another actor, Anjasmara, to play the main role. Rachmawati held a press conference back in September to announce that she no longer supported the production of the film and pulled back as a financial backer of the project.

Hanung said deciding on the main cast took a very long time. Before Ario Bayu, Hanung considered to cast Agus Kuncoro as Soekarno. Both were filmed in full costume during an important scene with Fatmawati. After a small group discussion, the team decided to give the role to Ario Bayu.

“I know it’s a tough choice, but the film is a matter of perspective,” he said. “I don’t mean to discredit anyone by making this movie.”

Hanung kept saying the film was not a critique. He simply realized that so far, no one had done a movie about Soekarno, so he felt that it had to be done.

‘Soekarno: Indonesia Merdeka’

Directed by Hanung Bramantyo

Starring Ario Bayu, Maudy Koesnaedi, Lukman Sardi

137 minutes

Indonesian

Erasmus’ Documentary Festival Aims to Open Eyes to Social Issues

Jakarta Globe, Tunggul Wirajuda, November 10, 2013

Screen shot from ‘Orang Gila Juga Manusia’ (‘The Mentally Ill Are People Too’),
which is scheduled to be shown at the Erasmusindo Film Festival. (Photo courtesy
of Erasmusindo Film Festival)

Few film genres rival documentaries for their frank, first-hand view of the world around them. Unencumbered by scripts or contrived plots, documentaries are also renowned for their warts and all portrayal of the human condition. However, public awareness of documentaries still pales compared to feature films, a situation that the Erasmus Huis Cultural Center set out to change through the Erasmusindocs Film Festival, which was previously known as the Golden Lens Film Festival.

“The Erasmusindocs Film Festival will feature 28 Indonesian and 29 foreign films. The Indonesian entries will be classified in three categories: the university category for university student filmmakers, high-school category for filmmakers still in high school, and the open category for professional filmmakers and the general public” Erasmusindocs Film Festival director Patar Simatupangsaid.

“The documentaries come from all parts of Indonesia and reflect the country’s diversity accordingly,” Patar added. The films, he said, cover aspects of Indonesian life, which feature films or news reels do not cover.

These include films like “Ksatria Sembrani” (Steel Knight) by high-school student Hestin Febriani, “Orang Gila Juga Manusia” (The Mentally Ill Are People Too) by Budiyanto, and “Aku Ingin Berhijab” (I Want to Wear The Hijab) by Wahyudi.

The films highlight the changes that Indonesia is undergoing. “Ksatria Sembrani” chronicles a group of children’s efforts to keep in touch with their roots through a traditional pastime, while “Orang Gila Juga Manusia” raises an important health care issue, seen through the eyes of two mentally ill people. On the other hand, “Aku Ingin Berhijab” takes on the choice between one’s religious beliefs and their secular allegiance to the state. Foreign entrants like “Trashed” and “Chasing Ice” cover global warming, while “The Doors: When You’re Strange” takes a new look at band The Doors and their legendary frontman, the late Jim Morrison.

Patar added that “Trashed,” narrated by acclaimed British actor Jeremy Irons, will open the festival on Tuesday. Another foreign entrant, a behind-the-scenes look at showbiz called “20 Feet From Stardom” will wrap up the festival on Nov. 16.

For Erasmus Huis director Ton van Zeeland, the films convey Erasmusindocs’s message: the important role that documentaries play in Indonesia.

“Documentaries are now more important than ever to Indonesia, as the country is a budding democracy. This form of filmmaking opens the eyes of the [Indonesian] elite and public about conditions in various parts of the country in a critical, accessible medium” he said.

“The festival reflects our commitment to support Indonesian filmmakers. This includes developmental training in five Indonesian cities, among them Yogyakarta, Ambon and Jayapura, and discussions on the films at various universities in Jakarta,” van Zeeland said, adding that Indonesia has long been a subject of films, as film inventors Auguste and Louis Lumieres were among the first to shoot documentaries in the country.

Indonesian filmmaker Hafiz Rancakale agreed. “Dutch filmmakers, among them Johan van de Kooken and his documentary ‘Beras Ambon’ [Ambon Rice], were among the first to shed light on life in colonial Indonesia or the then Dutch East Indies. Indonesian filmmakers owe a debt of gratitude to them in technical aspects, as well as starting off a chronicle of Indonesian history through film,” he explained. “Since then, documentaries have portrayed shifts in Indonesian history, starting off with government propaganda films from the 1950s to the 1970s, to being used by NGOs to highlight the plight of marginalized people throughout Indonesia from the 1980s until today.”

Hafiz highlighted the sorry state of documentaries in Indonesia. “Documentaries in Indonesia are only seen in art film or documentary festivals [like Erasmusindocs] and the Yogyakarta Film Festival, as they are deemed less profitable than feature films due to their ‘heavy’ content,” he said. “This is a sad contrast with Indonesia’s role in the history of documentaries. I hope that Erasmusindocs will play a major role in turning this around.”

On his part, van Zeeland hopes that Erasmusindocs will be a turning point for Indonesian documentaries, as well as the country’s filmmaking sector as a whole. “I’m happy to say that the quality of Indonesian films at Erasmusindocs continues to improve, though they still have a long way to go in catching up to their foreign counterparts,” he said.

“I’m certain that the festival, and the resulting public demand for documentaries they bring, will bolster the founding of an independent Indonesian film house. I hope that the film house will be independent of foreign institutions like the Goethe Institut, Institut Francais d’Indonesie and even Erasmus itself.”

Erasmusindocs Film Festival

Erasmus Huis

Jalan H.R. Rasuna Said, Kav. S-3,

Jakarta 12950

November 12 to 16

Film screenings from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Telephone: 021 524-1016

Fax: 021 5275987

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Indonesian Minister ‘Shocked’ at Harrison Ford Climate Interview

Jakarta Globe – AFP, September 10, 2013

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono speaks to US actor
Harrison Ford during an interview at the presidential palace in Jakarta.
(AFP Photo/Presidential Palace/Abror Rizki)

Indonesia’s forestry minister has accused Hollywood legend Harrison Ford of subjecting him to a rude interview on climate change that left him “shocked,” an official said Tuesday.

The “Indiana Jones” and “Star Wars” actor, who is making part of an environmental documentary in Indonesia, attacked the minister with questions during the encounter on Monday, said presidential adviser Andi Arief.

The adviser accused Ford and his crew of “harassing state institutions” and said the 71-year-old could even be deported — although he was due to leave Indonesia later Tuesday anyway.

Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan told reporters that he had been angered by Ford’s approach during the interview in the capital Jakarta.

“His emotions were running very high,” the minister was quoted as saying by the state-run Antara news agency.

“I understand the American man just came here to see Tesso Nilo [a national park on Sumatra island] and wanted violators to be caught the same day.”

The minister added he was not given the chance to explain the challenges of catching people who break the law in Indonesia’s sprawling rainforests, where illegal logging is rampant.

“I was only given the opportunity to say one or two sentences during the interview,” he said.

Arief said the minister thought there would have been some time to discuss the interview before it began.

But in the event he was “shocked that as soon as his [Ford's] crew came in, they started filming and interviewing him… and attacking him with questions.”

“There’s no privilege for him although he is a great a actor,” he said. “His crew and those who were helping him in Indonesia must be questioned to find out their motives for harassing a state institution.”

“If necessary, we will deport him,” he added.

Ford, who has supported numerous environmental causes in recent years, has travelled to several places in Indonesia to make part of a series on climate change called “Years of Living Dangerously” for US television network Showtime.

He also met with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Tuesday.

As Southeast Asia’s largest economy grows rapidly, swathes of biodiverse forests across the archipelago of 17,000 islands have been cleared to make way for paper and palm oil plantations, as well as for mining and agriculture.

Agence France-Presse

Documentary Fest to Return to Erasmus Huis

Jakarta Globe, Robbie Pyburn, September 21, 2012

‘Saving Face,’ a film documenting the lives of acid attack victims from
Pakistan, will be screened at the International Documentary Film Festival.

     

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Following the success of last year’s event, the Erasmus Huis, the Dutch cultural center in South Jakarta, will host its second International Documentary Film Festival from Tuesday to Sept. 29. It is held in association with the International Documentary Film Festival of Amsterdam, the oldest and largest documentary film festival in the world. The festival will showcase a variety of documentaries from around the world as well as local works.

Last year, eight international films and 20 short-documentaries that were finalists in a local competition were screened. A positive response from attendees prompted a second edition this year.

This time, the event runs parallel with the SBM Golden Lens Documentary Film Festival, an exhibition of 20-short local documentaries selected from approximately 100 entrees. Ten of these films are then judged in the “Best Open Category,” while the other 10 vie for the “Best Student Category.” Also included is an “Audience Choice” award.

The IDFF will screen 17 international documentaries in order to “target more audiences,” according to its website.

“What I tried to do is to bring as many films [to this festival] that are, what I think, high quality,” said Orlow Seunke, the IDFF’s program director. “So I think if you go to see any of the documentaries, you will have a good time and enjoy it.”

Seunke also revealed that the “small theme” of this year’s festival was food.

A total of Rp 47 million ($5,500) prize money, donated by the Jakarta Foreign Correspondents Club and the School for Broadcast Media, Jakarta, will be divided among the winners of the three categories.

Additionally, the 20 documentarian finalists will be awarded with 13 days of workshops headed by experienced filmmakers Jord den Hollander and Hans Treffers. The workshops will be open to other filmmakers for a price.

The theme of this year’s workshops is “Getting Out of the Box,” and as the title suggests, the seminar urges participants to approach filmmaking in an original way. These discussion groups will give up-and-coming filmmakers the chance to develop their skills, collaborate with fellow filmmakers and learn from seasoned experts.

The IDFF includes the national premiere of “Marley,” a film detailing the life and legacy of reggae legend Bob Marley by Kevin Macdonald. The documentary features live performances, rare footage and insightful interviews with the people who were closest with Marley.

Other highlights include a screening of “Bus 174,” a documentary voted one of the 10 best films of 2002 by The New York Times and “Saving Face,” which won an Oscar for “Best Short Subject Documentary” in 2012.

IDFF

Hosted by Erasmus Huis

Sept. 25-29

Free to the public

Indonesia’s Immigration Office Admits ‘Improper’ Treatment of Hollywood Actor

Jakarta Globe, Made Arya Kencana, March 07, 2012   

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Indonesia’s immigration office denied reports that one of its officers extorted Hollywood actor Taylor Kitsch during his recent visit to the country, but admitted that the officer’s treatment of the rising star was “improper.”

Taylor Kitsch showed a scene from
 "John Carter," pictured, to an Indonesian
 immigration officer to prove he was
an actor. (AP Photo/Disney)       

The immigration office was under fire after Kitsch told a US talk show about his unpleasant encounter with an airport customs officer, describing how he had difficulties when he was trying to enter the country and how the officer asked for his iPhone as a bribe.

Indonesia’s immigration office spokesman Maryoto Sumadi said on Tuesday that Kitsch entered the country through Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport on Feb. 1, and that a special team from Jakarta had been dispatched to Bali to investigate the case.

On Wednesday, Bali's immigration office announced the team’s findings.

“The officer in question denied the claim of extortion, saying the actor still had the iPhone,” the head of Bali’s immigration office, Ida Bagus Komang Adnyana, said in Denpasar.

He identified the officer only as R.E., 29.

Kitsch’s passport pages were full, leaving no space for another stamp. So, R.E. took Kitsch to a room where the actor showed his visa and said that he was in Indonesia to shoot his latest movie, Oliver Stone’s “Savages,” in East Nusa Tenggara.

R.E. did not believe he was an actor, so Kitsch showed the trailer of “John Carter,” in which he starred, on his iPhone.

“It was then R.E. commented that the actor had a nice i-Phone. He didn’t go further by asking for the phone, let alone extort [Kitsch],” Ida said.

Ida admitted, however, that R.E.’s treatment of the actor was improper.

“The dialogue shouldn’t have happened. It is not allowed under the code of ethics, especially considering the impact,” he said.

Ida added R.E. was on leave for investigative purposes. R.E. will probably receive a sanction within the next few days, although it has yet to be decided what the sanction will be.

Ida said Kitsch arrived in Bali on board a Singapore Airlines flight, and was in Indonesia from Feb. 1 to 11.

Kitsch, 30, is best known for his portrayal of American football star Tim Riggins in the television series “Friday Night Lights.”

Related Article:

Indonesian Immigration Boss Arrested

After Success of ‘A Separation,’ Iran to Host Cultural Festival

Jakarta Globe, Ade Mardiyati, March 02, 2012

The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Indonesia is set to host
 Cultural Week from March 7 to 13 in Jakarta. It will feature film screenings,
 workshops on Iranian arts, photography exhibitions and traditional music
performances. (Agency Photo)

               

The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Indonesia is set to host Cultural Week from March 7 to 13 in Jakarta. It will feature film screenings, workshops on Iranian arts, photography exhibitions and traditional music performances.

As part of the festivities, the embassy will also host a film festival at Pusat Perfilman Usmar Ismail in Kuningan, South Jakarta, from March 9 to 12. There will be discussions with Iranian directors and actors.

“Through this Cultural Week event, we are trying to introduce the culture and people of the Republic of Iran to the Indonesian people,” said Mahmoud Farazandeh, the Iranian ambassador, during a recent news conference at his residence in Menteng, Central Jakarta.

“There are plenty of Indonesian people I met who have expressed interest in Iranian films, so we decided to run this event.”

Among the films to be screened are “A Span of Heaven,” “The Third Day,” “The Sun Shines on All Equally” and “Eighth Sky.”

Iranian cinema has recently been thrust onto the international stage with the success of “A Separation,” which won Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards, among some 45 film award wins for the drama.

While most modern movies portray violence, romance and unique relationships, the message of Iranian films, according to Farazandeh, is to show the world the problems that exist in the country. Some of these problems are unique to Iran, while some problems, such as “A Separation’s” portrayal of a couple struggling to care for their children and an ailing parent, are universal to all cultures.

“We don’t present merely entertainment. There is always a message we want to deliver,” he said. “It is how to say something without using violence or sexual scenes.”

The film industry, Farazandeh said, was one way to voice revolution in Iran.

“We don’t believe that violence can help reach revolution. Instead, it is the values of humanity that can,” he said. “Our revolution is a cultural one.” 

Cultural Week of the Islamic Republic of Iran

March 7-13, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Museum Nasional, Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat No. 12, Central Jakarta