Just Continue to Make Movies

I would like to praise Indonesian film industry for the achievement within past ten years. Honestly, I have no appetite at all to watch Indonesian movie before. Indonesian movie, to me, at that time was like a coffin that slowly going down to grave. Indonesian movie was dead. But, then Garin Nugroho, Riri Reza, Mira Lesmana, Nia Dinata, Rudi Soedjarwo, Joko Anwar and other potential film directors came and breathed the breath of life into the nostrils of the film industry. The film industry became alive and milestone has been piled ever since.

In term of quality, Indonesian movie is doing a quantum leap. Compare to 1980’s era, when the Indonesian movies dominated with vulgar sex exploitation and mystical content, today we look at different face of the Indonesian movies which deserves our two thumbs up. The appearance of those film directors that coloring the film industry with a better quality and creativity has made Indonesian movies are able to speak proudly in international competition arena.

Several films directed by Garin Nugroho won international award as the best film such as Cinta Dalam Sepotong Roti (Love in a piece of bread) in Berlin International Film Festival (1991), Daun di Atas Bantal (A leaf on the Pillow) in Asia Pacific Film Festival (1998), Puisi Tak Terkuburkan (Unburied Poetry) in Singapore International Film Festival (2000) and Opera Jawa (Javanese Opera) in Independent International Film Festival of Bruxelles - Brussel (2008).

Rudi Soedjarwo snatched the best director in Bali International Film Festival 2004 with his film Mengejar Matahari (Chasing the Sun). Riri Reza gained a spectacular successful with his film Laskar Pelangi (Rainbow Warrior) where people and film critics labeled it as “A must see Indonesian movie” in 2009. Since the release of this film on 25 September 2008 till March 2009, the film has been watched by 4.6 million moviegoers. The film was selected to perform in Berlin International Film Festival 2009, and even played in CineStar Cubix Alexanderplatz, Berlin. Pintu Terlarang (Forbidden Door) that directed by Joko Anwar awarded as the best film in Puchon International Fantastic Festival (South Korea) in 2009.

No doubt. The Indonesian film makers today are fantastic. They are talented and incredible. They are not just dilettantes. Yes everybody can make film, but making a good film is not just a matter of talent, capital (money) and idealism. The important thing that can make it happen is the wide-opened of freedom of expression that boost creativity in the film industry.

It is clear, the wind of change has blown. We can see resurrection of good movies since reformation history in 1998. Surprisingly, this art industry filled by majority young talented people with various formal education background, not just a cinematography background. They have been creating an advanced progress so far, and I believe it because of freedom that has made them doing good jobs. Like John F. Kennedy said: “The best road to progress is freedom's road,” so the progress of the Indonesian film industry clearly boosted by the freedom of expression.

The enactment of the new film law on 8 September by the House of Representatives has made people raise eyebrow. Is there anything wrong with our movie industry today? Film producers, directors and actors condemned several articles in the new law and commented as set back. “Neither government nor lawmakers contribute to the progress of film industry so far, and now they want to shackle our creativity,” they said.

It is hard to be understood that the new law requires movie producers to get permit from several ministries and local administration. They should report plan, title and scenario to the government before making movie. From the bureaucracy perspective, it’s obviously a complicated rule because we all knew how the government official doing their works. The negative image shown by the bureaucrats has made people reluctant to get in touch with them. We knew the reason.

Mira Lesmana and Slamet Rahardjo, two of prominent film directors also condemned article 6 as it would suspect the film makers as criminals. Although it is good that our society should avoid violation, gambling, drugs, pornography, and provocation related to ethnicity, race, and religion in our daily life, I believe we don’t need to stipulate it to the film law. In particular case, a film needs to take some of those scenes for the sake of a lesson learned, for example: A film about social riot in May 1998, East Timor following the referendum 1999, murder of human right activist Munir, conflict in Poso, etc. This is to remind us that our nation, long time ago, had ever passed the dark tunnel in our history. It would be important for us today and our next generation for lesson learned to avoid the repeated history in future.

Finally, I support Mira Lesmana, Slamet Rahardjo and other film makers to submit judicial review to Constitutional Court (MK), but I would more suggest them to forget the existence of the new law and continue making movies without fear. Indonesian lawmakers and government like to regulate everything in all aspect of our life, but too easy to forget after that. They like making law, but too hard to implement the law enforcement towards those who break the law. Why? We knew the answer.

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Serpong, 14 Sept 2009
Titus J.