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.