Focusing on films from the edge<\/p>\n
Film Pinggiran, Antologi Film Pendek, Film Experimental &
\nFilm Dokumenter (Alternative Films: An Anthology of Short,
\nExperimental and Documentary Films);
\nBy Gotot Prakosa;
\nPublished by FFTV-IKJ (The Jakarta Arts Institute's Film and
\nTelevision Department)-YLP, Jakarta l997;
\n221 + xxx pp.<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Most filmmakers -- and moviegoers -- in
\nIndonesia or anywhere else in the world grow up watching
\nHollywood films. That's the source of almost all their film
\nvocabulary and standards.<\/p>\n
Hollywood's blockbusters bring dinosaurs and alien creatures
\nto life, stage action scenes rich in high-tech special effects
\nand tug at our hearts with melodrama and comedy. Add to this
\nglittering stars and the box office often sells tickets like
\nhotcakes.<\/p>\n
There are still a lot of people who are unaware that cinema
\nworks vary in format, techniques and mediums. Films are not only
\nproduced on celluloid for wide-screen movies, but they also
\nappear in diverse formats such as television, video and lately on
\nCD-Rom.<\/p>\n
Films can be made as feature-length productions, shorts (less
\nthan 30 minutes), documentaries, in experimental formats, art
\ncinema, animation and commercials.<\/p>\n
Gotot Prakosa, a film director and lecturer at the Jakarta
\nArts Institute's Film and Television Department, tries to promote
\ngreater awareness of diverse cinema forms and traditions other
\nthan Hollywood's formulas through his book Alternative Films: An
\nAnthology of Short, Experimental and Documentary Films.<\/p>\n
In the book, Gotot provides insight and analysis on
\nalternative films fueled by the European \"new wave\" cinema
\nmovement.<\/p>\n
The writer starts his book with the rise of alternative films
\nin the international film world. Gotot also tries to summarize
\nthe existing and most acceptable definitions of alternative
\ncinema works.<\/p>\n
The movement started in European countries like France, Italy,
\nGermany, Sweden, Poland and Russia and brought about substantial
\nchanges in producing movies.<\/p>\n
Between the l950s and the l970s, revolutionary
\ncinematographers such as Roberto Rossellini and Federico Fellini
\n(Italy), Ingmar Bergman (Sweden), Francois Truffaut, Jean Luc
\nGodard, Claude Chaebrol (France), Rainer Werner, Werner Herzog
\nand Wim Wenders (Germany) introduced distinguished moviemaking
\nstyles which challenged the commercial and aesthetic dominance of
\nHollywood.<\/p>\n
These directors demonstrated that big-budget studios, well-
\nknown stars and the rest Hollywood clings dearly to were no
\nlonger necessary to create a good film. The important legacy of
\nthese filmmakers was the radical break in the style of cinema
\nwhich they initiated. Fragmenting, improvising and often
\ndispensing with the rules of cinematography were their
\ntrademarks.<\/p>\n
Such films were then presented to the world through magazines,
\nbooks and various international film festivals starting from the
\nCannes, Berlin, Venice, Russian and Toronto film festivals
\nspreading to a lot more forums for alternative movies.<\/p>\n
The new wave cinema also swept over Asian countries, including
\nJapan, China and India. Prominent Asian filmmakers such as
\nJapan's Akira Kurosawa, China's Chen Kaige and Zang Yimou and
\nIndia's Nira Nair fascinated the Western world with their
\ndistinctive and exotic cinematic approaches.<\/p>\n
Most of these prominent directors started their movie careers
\nby producing short films and documentaries before they
\nconcentrated on feature-length movies.<\/p>\n
Short films, documentaries and experimental films also
\ncaptivated the more contemporary filmmakers in Southeast Asian
\ncountries like Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia
\nand Vietnam.<\/p>\n
Although shorts and documentaries were already recognized in
\nIndonesia since the Dutch colonial period in the early 20th
\ncentury, the urge to make these kinds of works was propelled by
\nthe collapse of the national film industry in the l980s. The
\ngrowth of private television stations and unfair distribution
\nsystems were blamed for ruining the industry.<\/p>\n
Impressive shorts and documentaries were produced by noted
\nfilmmakers such as Slamet Rahardjo (Southern Wind, Omnibus with a
\nJapanese director), Teguh Karya (Alang Alang) and the late Arifin
\nC. Noer. The more contemporary filmmakers, many of them graduates
\nof the Jakarta Arts Institute, include the writer (Gotot), Garin
\nNugroho, Harry Suharyadi, Nan Triveni Achnas, Rizal Mantovani,
\nMira Lesmana and Marselli Sumarno.<\/p>\n
Gotot mentions in the book that these young and aspiring
\ncinematographers have made a compelling cross-cultural leap.<\/p>\n
Their works have been screened in various international film
\nfestivals around the world. They have been very active in various
\nworld-scale film forums, placing Indonesia on the international
\nalternative film scene.<\/p>\n
Garin's Daun di Atas Bantal (A Leaf on a Pillow) was recently
\nshown in this year's Cannes Festival. His previous work Bulan
\nTertusuk Ilalang (And the Moon Dances) was named the best film in
\nthe Singapore Film Festival. The works of Nan and Harry and Gotot
\nhave also won various international awards.<\/p>\n
As a filmmaker himself, Gotot understands the problems he and
\nhis colleagues face in producing quality works. They are
\ncompletely autonomous. They must keep their costs down and their
\nideas flowing.<\/p>\n
Problems dealing with funding, production and distribution are
\nclearly revealed in this book. Money is the main problem for
\nyoung directors in making quality films.<\/p>\n
Gotot suggests the state should provide subsidies. In
\nneighboring countries like Singapore and the Philippines, for
\nexample, the government provides a broad framework of support,
\nincluding money and facilities, for young directors to make their
\ndebut films, especially shorts and documentaries.<\/p>\n
In Indonesia, such a scheme would seem impossible to implement
\ngiven the current economic situation.<\/p>\n
In addition to money problems, distribution of such films is
\nindeed difficult. Neither distributors nor exhibitors --
\nand consequently audiences -- show much of an interest.<\/p>\n
Generally, shorts, documentaries and experimental films
\ncontain very high aesthetic values, yet they are usually
\ncommercial failures. International festivals, cultural centers,
\ncine-clubs, galleries and universities are the most common places
\nto screen these types of films.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, they can hardly penetrate the mainstream movie
\ntheaters. As a result, these works only capture a very small
\naudience.<\/p>\n
News that the 21 theater group, which has long controlled the
\ndistribution of domestic and foreign films, has screened Garin's
\nDaun Di Atas Bantal and will soon show Kul De Sak by four young
\nfilmmakers including Mantovani and Nan is very encouraging.<\/p>\n
As Gotot admits himself, this book only incorporates limited
\ninformation on the international and domestic alternative cinema
\nscene. He encourages others to conduct a more thorough study on
\nthe subject.<\/p>\n
Gotot's efforts, however, must be praised. His book is worth
\nreading, especially for those interested in studying and
\nobtaining more knowledge on the rapid development of cinema
\ntechniques and the industry.<\/p>\n
-- Rita A. Widiadana<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/focusing-on-films-from-the-edge-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }