Christine Hakim shines with hard work<\/p>\n
Tantri Yuliandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
\"Because she is not a star, she is a true artist. A star shines
\nonly when there is a source of light, perhaps because of beauty,
\ncourage. But she (Christine) is shining because of her hard work,
\nher concern, her dedication and because of her awareness of her
\nwork,\" theater figure Putu Wijaya said in praise of actress
\nChristine Hakim's recent accomplishment.<\/p>\n
Receiving the French government's Commandeur dans l'Ordre des
\nArts et des Lettres last week, Christine Hakim's name was raised
\nto the same platform as famous Hollywood names, such as Meryl
\nStreep, Robert Redford, Alain Delon and Jeanne Moreau.<\/p>\n
But typically her, Christine does not let a little glitter
\nblind her. \"For me, Meryl Streep is Meryl Streep, I am me, we all
\nhave our own lives in our different environments and we have
\ndifferent responsibilities and different goals,\" she said on the
\nsidelines of the awards ceremony.<\/p>\n
Even before her award, one could say that Christine was
\nalready \"there\" when she joined the few elite groups to judge the
\nprestigious Cannes Film Festival last year. Times magazine
\nrecently even voted her an \"Asian Hero\".<\/p>\n
In fact, aside from all the glitz, the 45-year-old woman was
\nmore concerned about the toll the responsibility of the awards
\nwould take on her and her private life.<\/p>\n
\"At this early stage of my marriage I want to give more to my
\nfamily and my husband, but this award means that I need to do
\nmore work, which would take me away from home. That's how I feel
\nabout it,\" said Christine, who married Dutchman Jeroen Lezer in
\n2000.<\/p>\n
\"It doesn't mean that I can sleep easier now, my job has
\nbecome much heavier.\"<\/p>\n
Born Herlina Nathalie Christine Hakim on Dec. 25, 1957, in
\nKuala Tungkal, Lampung, Christine's acting career was first
\nlaunched after she was spotted by director Teguh Karya in the
\nearly 1970s.<\/p>\n
Her first movie by the noted director, Cinta Pertama (First
\nLove), in 1973 won her the Citra Indonesian film award for best
\nactress, even though she later admitted she had acted on
\n\"instinct\".<\/p>\n
But she hasn't always relied on her instincts. Instead, after
\nher second movie Atheis (Atheist) -- also with Teguh Karya --
\nChristine realized that acting was a profession that required
\nskill and technique.<\/p>\n
\"She really chooses her roles carefully. Before she played in
\nPonirah for example, she would study her role and even wear a
\nkebaya all the time to get the feel of it several months prior to
\nshooting. You don't see that kind of dedication (in new
\nactresses) now,\" Putu Wijaya said, referring to Christine's 1984
\nmovie Ponirah Terpidana (Convicted Ponirah).<\/p>\n
Since Cinta Pertama, Christine has starred in more than 30
\nmovies, playing strong women's roles such as the venerable
\nAcehnese hero Tjoet Nja' Dhien in the 1988 movie of the same
\ntitle.<\/p>\n
Her choice of roles is based on the reflection that women have
\nnot been adequately represented in society. There are many heroic
\nand strong women, Christine said, explaining that her concern in
\nacting was how to avoid stereotyping them.<\/p>\n
Lining up her various achievements, Christine has won six
\nCitra awards, the Best Actress award at the Pusan Film Festival
\nin Korea for the 1976 Pengemis dan Tukang Becak (The Beggar and
\nthe Pedicab Driver), Best Actress at the Singapore Film Festival
\nfor the 1983 Di Balik Kelambu (Behind the Curtain), Best Actress
\nat the Asia Pacific International Film Festival for the 1976
\nKawin Lari (Elope), an award at the Taipei Film Festival and the
\nTokyo International Film Festival for the 1997 film Daun di Atas
\nBantal (Leaf on a Pillow), which she produced.<\/p>\n
Christine's hard work was also recognized internationally with
\nan Art Award from the Indonesian government in 1990, the Yamamoto
\nYasue Award from Japan in 1997, the Jawaharlal Nehru Award from
\nthe Indian government in 1997, and the seventh Nikkei Asia Prize
\nwinner for the cultural category from Japan in 2002.<\/p>\n
From the French government, the Commandeur award was the
\nsecond time Christine had received such a high honor. In 1991 the
\nFrench government awarded her the Chevalier des Arts et des
\nLettres.<\/p>\n
\"From then on your work in the arts and social services, as
\nwell as your position in the film industry achieved greater
\nacknowledgement, and you have become the brightest star in the
\nfilm galaxy,\" French Ambassador in Jakarta Renaud Vignal said in
\nhis speech at the ceremony.<\/p>\n
In 1995, she even had her own Retrospect Week for her movies
\nin Tokyo.<\/p>\n
\"We have all seen how hard she works, she's never stopped
\npromoting Indonesian films, she deserves the award and I am very
\nproud of her,\" said one of Christine's best friends, actress Rima
\nMelati, who attended the award ceremony.<\/p>\n
Besides being a jury member in various international film
\nfestivals -- among others at the Southeast Asia Bienalle Film
\nFestival in Cambodia in 1997, the Pusan Film Festival in 1999,
\nand more recently at the 55th Cannes Film Festival -- Christine
\nhas also been active in two social organizations.<\/p>\n
\"Your work in humanities through your two organizations, an
\naid organization for street children and a training organization
\nfor Indonesian youths with an interest in the film industry, have
\nbeen exceptional,\" Vignal said, commenting on her Christine Hakim
\nFoundation.<\/p>\n
\"It never crossed my mind that what I've been doing would be
\nacknowledged and given such a high honor from the French
\ngovernment. All along I was thinking that I have to work and
\ncontinue working and work better in the hope, of course, that
\nwhat I'm doing would be of use to society or to Indonesia,\"
\nChristine said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/christine-hakim-shines-with-hard-work-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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