Cast call for second RI Film Festifal

Cast call for second RI Film Festifal

Joko E.H. Anwar, Contributor, Jakarta

Expect to bump into people shooting movies using basic equipment
when you are out during the next three months.

The second Indonesia Independent Film Festival (FFII) is now
calling for entries as filmmaker wannabes line up for a shot at
realizing their dreams.

The annual event sponsored by SCTV drew 747 entries last year,
each trying to win Rp 135 millions in cash and the opportunity to
have their movie shown on TV.

"We really can't say what the figure will be this year, but we
are sure that it will be higher than last year," preliminary
round juror Gatot Prakosa, said.

Hopes are high for the event organizer as Indonesia, and in
particular the capital Jakarta, has been swept up in movie mania
during the last two years.

The local film industry, which had been non-existent for a
full decade, suddenly began to revive and it was young filmmakers
with a guerrilla filmmaking spirit who started it all.

These filmmakers included Rudy Soedjarwo who produced and
directed a mediocre teen flick titled Bintang Jatuh (Shooting
Star) in 2000 on a shoestring budget.

Later on he directed the mega hit teen flick Ada Apa Dengan
Cinta? (What's Up With Love?) which launched the director and
main characters to stardom here and in several neighboring
countries.

As the industry is still in its infancy, the opportunity to
become a real player is wide open and an event like FFII can
quickly become a launching pad to stardom.

However, FFII must address its many shortcomings from last
year if they want the festival to gain more credibility.

Beside the embarrassing final ceremony night (including the
host reading a wrong envelope) there are also other problems to
be sorted out.

Last year, participants were separated into two categories,
college students/public and high school/junior high students.

This categorization may be unfair as there is a rule which
prevented professionals from competing against first timers.

In fact, the second winner in the first category was a movie
which won several international film festivals and was partially
funded by international film institutes. The other nominees,
which were funded by the filmmakers, looked pale in comparison.

In an attempt to create a more fair competition, the organizer
has now separated entries into two new categories this year:
beginners and professional, although the criteria for
participants to choose a category still prompts chuckles.

The organizer states that now those who have made two or less
movies are categorized as beginners and those who have three or
more are now categorized as professionals.

Also last year the jury stated that they looked more into the
originality of the ideas than the technical aspects of the films
since it would be unfair to compare works from professional
filmmakers with beginners.

Juror Nan Achnas promised that this year, things would be
different.

"We will look into the solidity between ideas and
technicality," Achnas told The Jakarta Post.

Many people would find the use of the "phrasefilm" unsuitable
for the local film scene since there is yet to be a local film
company to be considered as a major film studio in its own right.

The use of the word "independent" in FFII is closer to the
term guerrilla filmmaking.

Despite the inappropriateness in its title, FFII is arguably
today's most anticipated film event by aspiring local filmmakers.

FFII is actually not the only event which gives opportunities
to filmmakers and filmmaker wannabes to compete in a festival.
The Independent Film Community (Konfiden), organized by young
film activists, has been holding a similar event since 2000.

However SCTV and its "deep pockets" has the opportunity to
hold a bigger, nation-wide festival.

No doubt, many entries submitted to these festivals will only
end up in trash bins, but it is also exciting to contemplate some
of the real talent that will also emerge from this event.

Rules for the 2nd Indonesia Independent Film Festival

1. Entries should be submitted in VHS or Video Compact Disc (VCD)

form.
2. Admission fees for participants in the beginners Category is
Rp 50,000 (US$5.6) and professionals Rp 150,000

3. Entries should be submitted to SCTV office at Jl. Gatot
Subroto Kav. 21, Jakarta 12930 before March 31, 2003.
For more information, call 021-522555, fax 021-5224777, or visit
the website at www.sctv.co.id/ffii.