A second chance for EU films

A second chance for EU films

JAKARTA (JP): Film lovers disheartened by last week's
cancellation of the European Union Film Festival have been able
to take heart from a belated chance to enjoy the quality movies.

The British Council, French Cultural Center, Goethe Institute
and embassies of Belgium and Italy decided to show some of the
films before they were returned to their distributors.

They are to be screened at the British Council, S. Widjojo
Center, Jl. Jend. Sudirman, South Jakarta, instead of the Usmar
Ismail Film Center on Jl. Rasuna Said, South Jakarta, from
Wednesday to Friday.

The Promise (Belgium) and Tichbourne Claimant (Britain) will
be screened on Friday, respectively at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Burning Life (Germany), Celluloide (Italy) and The Dream Life of
Angels (France) were shown on Wednesday and Thursday.

Eleven films from European Union member states were scheduled
to be shown here from Sept. 23 to Sept. 26, before moving to
screenings scheduled in Yogyakarta, Bandung and Surabaya.
However, the screenings were abruptly canceled because most films
did not pass the local censor's standards.

"It was a pity because we had already rented the films and
brought them here. So we decided to screen them at our place,"
said Dina Sebastian, arts education assistant of the British
Council. "We then contacted the other organizers and some agreed
to join us."

Unfortunately, not all of the films, including the Oscar-
winning Dutch film Karakter, could be shown.

Deputy director of Erasmus Huis, Tom Hamoen, said the film
could not be screened at the British Council because it was
already returned to the distributor in The Hague.

"We had to send it back as soon as possible," he said, adding
that the film was screened at Erasmus Huis earlier this year.

Head of the Indonesian Film Censorship Board (LSF) Tatiek
Maliyati banned the showings of the uncensored movies on the
grounds they would be screened in a public place outside the
foreign embassies' jurisdiction.

The films will be screened in the 200-seat rooftop auditorium
of the British Council. Admission is free. (sim)