Watching Indonesian short films on the Internet<\/p>\n
By Gotot Prakosa<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The 13th Singapore International Festival which
\ntakes place between March 31 and April 15, will also feature the
\nAsian Digital Film Festival, an event that can be accessed on the
\nInternet.<\/p>\n
By logging on to http:\/\/www.filmfest.org.sg., one can connect
\nto Digital Film and a double click will take one to 8 arts.com
\nfor a preview of a selection of short films taking part in the
\nfestival. Various Asian films, including from the Philippines,
\nMalaysia, Singapore and two short films from Indonesia -- will be
\navailable for screening.<\/p>\n
Philip Cheah, the festival's initiator, said the Singapore
\nfestival must develop itself toward the future.<\/p>\n
Currently, an increasing number of good quality film festivals
\nat an international level have been developing in the Asian
\nregion, including in Indonesia last year with the Jakarta
\nInternational Film Festival (JIFFest).<\/p>\n
The presence of such film festivals makes the Singapore
\nInternational Film Festival strive to establish its own
\ncharacteristics. One way is by providing access to the digital
\nfilm festival.<\/p>\n
So far, short films selected for the festival have a duration
\nof no more than 15 minutes. This is caused by the concern that
\nloading films onto hard disc will face problems from the standard
\ncomputers widely used in Asian countries.<\/p>\n
Two Indonesian short films taking part in the festival are
\nFaozan Rizal and Platon Theodoris' Bitter Chocolate and Nurani,
\nthe works of Viva Westi Datoek and her colleagues.<\/p>\n
Bitter Chocolate, the 1999 best film at the School of Film and
\nTelevision at the Jakarta Arts Institute's three-year diploma
\nprogram, features a story of a girl (Cassandra Masardi), who is
\nobsessed by reports of rape in a number of newspapers in Jakarta.
\nIn this 11-minute film, every scene or event is repeated nearly
\nin the same character as the previous scene or event, creating an
\nimpression of illusion which escalates tension among its viewers.<\/p>\n
In the making of this film, Faozan and Platon used an
\nexperimental style. For viewers who expect a linear structure as
\nfound in many ordinary films, the style might be rather difficult
\nto follow.<\/p>\n
The eight-minute Nurani tells the story of a young girl named
\nNurani (Rr. Swesty), who was born out of wedlock. Her mother
\n(Nungki Kusumastuti) struggles hard to raise her daughter in a
\nrented house in a slum area amid an unhealthy environment.<\/p>\n
She sends Nurani to school in the hopes that a higher
\neducation will give her daughter a better life than her own. But
\nthings do not go as expected. When Nurani enters adolescence, she
\nfalls for the temptation of a man. Her relationship with her
\nboyfriend (Erlanda) leaves her pregnant. Following the request of
\nher boyfriend to abort the baby with the money he gives her,
\nNurani goes to a clinic where she encounters not only brokers,
\nwho lure her to go on with the abortion, but also women who hope
\nto have babies and are happy upon hearing that they are pregnant.<\/p>\n
Nurani was made by five young women. According to director
\nViva Westi Datoek, the film does not only serve as a reminder but
\nalso to appreciate single mothers who devote themselves and
\nstruggle hard to raise their children.<\/p>\n
The film's screenplay was written by Lina, while Reggy
\nLawalata was in charge of editing and Eva Nasution was
\nresponsible for sound. Good camera work was done by Regina Indung
\nPah.<\/p>\n
Indonesian short films have become a growing trend and have
\nstarted gaining people's acceptance. So far, though, they can
\nonly be seen at festivals or film weeks organized by certain
\ngroups, such as the Kine Klub or Teater Utan Kayu, Mitra Budaya
\ncommunity circle or foreign cultural foundations in larger cities
\nin Indonesia. Such events, however, are not regularly organized.<\/p>\n
Most Indonesian short film festivals are submitted to
\ninternational festivals, while others are continuously produced
\nindependently by young filmmakers without much publicity.<\/p>\n
Among recent productions is a short film by Nanang Istiabudi,
\nwho used 35 mm film. Other filmmakers, such as Rizal Basri, Andy
\nNugroho and Rika Hendraruminggar, are using digital video in
\ntheir work.<\/p>\n
And by taking part in various film festivals, including the
\nAsian Digital Film Festival in Singapore, Indonesian filmmakers
\ncan promote themselves and their work to a larger public.<\/p>",
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