Indonesian 'sinetron'<\/p>\n
\"A house, a wife and a singing bird\" and \"a mobile phone,
\nMercedes Benz and a luxurious house\".<\/p>\n
When I was working with USIS in the late fifties in Surabaya,
\nEast Java, I was part of a team in the cinematography section
\nshowing films in various towns. The two films I liked best were
\nTanglewood Story and \"A house, a wife and a singing bird\"
\nstarring Bambang Hermanto as a Yogya peasant. The film depicted
\nBambang living in a modest bamboo house, with a well, and his
\nsinging bird, a small turtle dove. His well was unhygienic and
\nBambang became ill.<\/p>\n
Enter USAID, helping him with an ordinary water pump. Bambang
\nand wife lived happily ever after, with his singing bird
\nchirping. I've seen this film so many times. I'll never forget
\nit.<\/p>\n
When I came back home, I was surprised to see Indonesian soap
\noperas depicting a luxurious house, a mobile phone and a Mercedes
\nBenz, while about 40 million people are living below the poverty
\nline, some of them unemployed, glued to their TVs watching this
\nutopian Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Why can't Indonesian soap opera producers produce films
\ndepicting Indonesian\/Malay legends like Hang Tuah, Hang Lekir,
\nHang Kesturi, Hang Jebat or the heroine Christina Tiahahu, our
\nheroes like Teuku Umar, Imam Bonjol, Prince Diponegoro and
\nPattimura?<\/p>\n
AGOES SOEJONO<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesian-sinetron-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }