Big budget 'Fatahillah' is in the spirit of Islam
Big budget 'Fatahillah' is in the spirit of Islam
By Yenni Kwok
JAKARTA (JP): Fatahillah has resources that are but a dream
for other local film producers.
Big, important names are behind the making of the historical
epic. Imam Tantowi and Chaerul Umam, two experienced filmmakers,
directed. Jakarta Governor Surjadi Soedirdja and Johan Tjasmadi,
the chairman of Indonesia's Movie Business Association, are the
producers.
While most film productions scramble to find financial
backup, Fatahillah had no such worries. The Jakarta city
government allocated its tax funds to finance the movie's Rp 3
billion production costs.
Screening venues are no headache. After years of shunning
Indonesian movies, the upmarket Studio 21 movie theater franchise
which monopolizes the market, agreed to screen Fatahillah.
In addition to being screened domestically, Fatahillah may
also play to international audiences under the title Battle of
Jayakarta. Johan plans to sell the film to Germany, France,
Canada, Australia, South Korea and the United States.
The film premiered around the nation on June 20, two days
before Jakarta's 470th anniversary celebration. The Jakarta city
government supported this production because the film focuses on
June 22, 1527 when Fatahillah ousted the Portuguese from this
area. June 22 is recognized as the founding date of the capital.
"People now only think of Jakarta as a business or trade
city," said Surjadi Soedirja. "We are trying to popularize the
image that Jakarta is a city of struggle, too."
The history of Fatahillah himself is sketchy (see accompanying
article on this page). Scholars hold different theories about who
Fatahillah really was. One version says Fatahillah was Sunan
Gunung Jati, one of the first Islamic preachers in Java.
Screenwriter Misbach Yusa Biran chose the version that
Fatahillah, whose real name was Fadhillah Khan, was a Pasai ulema
who later married the daughter of Sunan Gunung Jati.
The tale unfolds in the early 16th century. The Portuguese are
advancing through the area now known as Indonesia, first in
Malacca, then the spice islands of Molucca (Maluku). They then
turn their sights on Java. They managed to strike an agreement
with Hindu Pajajaran Kingdom, who fear Islam's growing influence.
The Pajajaran king allows the Portuguese to build a fortress in
Sunda Kelapa, present day Jakarta.
The Moslem leaders of Java are jittery after hearing of
Portuguese atrocities in the Moluccas and their designs on Java.
They ask Fatahillah (Igo Ilham) to drive the Portuguese from
Sunda Kelapa. Helped by Moslem leaders and Chinese merchants,
Fatahillah sets a strategy to attack the Portuguese.
Leading inexperienced, poorly armed troops, Fatahillah's
mission seems to be impossible. Several soldiers are pessimistic
of the battle against the more modern and stronger Portuguese
forces.
A devout Moslem, Fatahillah gives assurances to his people
through preaching the Koran. The end of the story, as we probably
know from our history textbooks, is that Fatahillah's troops
defeat and drive away the Portuguese. Fatahillah renames Sunda
Kelapa, calling it Jayakarta, or "City of Victory".
Fatahillah gives Islamic words of wisdom to boost the troops'
spirit. Quotations from the Koran occasionally appear on the
screen, especially during the battle between Fatahillah and the
Portuguese.
"This film has a mission of preaching Islam," said Igo,
a newcomer to films who was chosen from 40 actors auditioned for
the role.
The choice of 27-year-old Igo was based on his religious
background. "He is an ustadz (a teacher of Islamic studies), and
he has devout religious feeling," said director Chaerul Umam,
famous for highly acclaimed Islamic-themed films, such as Titian
Serambut Dibelah Tujuh (The Path of Believers) and Nada dan
Dakwah (The Tune and Propagation). For this film, he is
responsible for directing the actors.
Indeed, the film is aimed at young people, who are currently
bombarded with what many believe are morally depraved Western
values. "It is about defending the good according to Islam's
way," said producer Johan Tjasmadi.
Interesting is the inclusion of a Chinese-Moslem merchant as
Fatahillah's ally. The presence of Kim San (Robert Santosa) and
other foreign traders reflects how multiculturally diverse the
Indonesian city was and is.
Nevertheless, Kim San is a Moslem, siding with Fatahillah to
fight the Catholic Portuguese and the Hindu Pajajaran.
"None of them carry the Holy War signs," Misbach says. "But
the story teaches how we should fight evil and injustice, no
matter how weak we are."
Effects
Fatahillah's strength lies in its special effects. The ships
made especially for the movie are impressive, as are the onboard
battles. The settings and the costumes are beautiful. Imam
Tantowi, whose body of work includes the big budget, action Saur
Sepuh films, was in charge as the art director.
However, the movie's characters are not developed well and are
merely two-dimensional. The emotional conflict between Fatahillah
and his soft-hearted second wife, Ratu Ayu (Yuyun Sulistyawati),
who is reluctant to see her husband go to war, is only skin deep.
Indeed, there is hardly any emotion throughout the movie. Igo
gives a wooden performance as Fatahillah. The emotion is dry and
dialog flat. The actors keep stern and stiff faces throughout.
The quality of their acting is no better than that found in local
television soap operas.
Ironically, Fatahillah is already a television production.
Concurrently with the film production, Chaerul Umam and Imam
Tantowi also shot the Fatahillah series. The series is scheduled
to be aired six months after the film screening.
Long before Fatahillah finished production, it was already the
talk of the nation. The public and mass media hailed the film as
being able to jumpstart Indonesia's sluggish film industry.
With its aggressive marketing, Fatahillah may well attract
many viewers, proving that vehicles other than soft porn
Indonesian movies can also sell. If the simple theory holds, it
should lure businesses and artists back to the industry.