Directors, producers keep conflict aflame

Directors, producers keep conflict aflame

JAKARTA (JP): Film distribution is the most delicate aspect of
the Indonesian movie business.

Producers often have to bow to distributors' will to get their
movies distributed and screened so that they can recoup their
spending.

By and large, theater owners will also do anything to please
distributors to get movies on a regular basis and keep their
businesses afloat.

Over the past few years, the movie business has been further
complicated by the unfair business practice by which people who
control distribution also control a powerful chain of movie
theaters.

The Subentra Group, controlled by tycoon Sudwikadmono -- a
relative of former president Soeharto -- monopolizes film
importation and also runs the theaters under the banner of the 21
Group.

Some film directors say the practice hurts the development of
the national film industry because the "cartel" prefers
distributing and screening imported films, which promise more
profit than locally made ones.

One of the victims is Slamet Rahardjo. His 1991 production
Langitku Rumahku (My Sky is My Home) was successful at
international festivals but a flop at home.

The 21 Group of movie theaters showed his film for only one
day on the pretext that ticket sales were intolerably low.

Slamet and other critics believe the monopolistic practices
have allowed the theaters to refuse locally made movies in favor
of imported ones for the sake of money.

Slamet took the case to court but lost.

"We have no chance to get our movies distributed. We are
gambling (when we make them)," Slamet says.

"The question should not be whether we can still make movies
or not, but what should we make them for? There is nothing that
can motivate one to make a film in this country. Only crazy
people like me want to make movies."

Noted director Garin Nugroho, says that movie theaters think
of nothing but money and they do not bother about developing
infrastructure for the national film industry.

Garin says it is important that local film directors know they
have a long way to go before local movies can be on a par with
the imports.

"The system cannot be fought with rhetoric but with our work,"
he says.

Johan Tjasmadi, who has ruled the Association of Movie Theater
Owners (GPBSI) unchallenged for 32 years, has come out in defense
of the 21 Group cinemas. He charged that directors are not well-
versed in the movie business.

"It is all a matter of management. To succeed, any movie
theater has to have good management which knows how to take care
of their audience," he says.

"These directors who are also artists do not know about the
economic aspects. It's crazy to expect theater owners to screen
movies that do not attract audiences, or movies that will make
people bored."

To make a good, saleable movie, Johan advises that directors
should know the market segment they want to address.

He points out that local directors lack a "pleasant state of
mind" when making a film.

"For instance, when Slamet made Langitku Rumahku, he was
apparently in a bad mood. He will not say this, of course. Any
movie that conveys its director's anger won't sell."

The problem actually lies with the people involved in films'
production, Johan says. Many movie theaters have closed down
because they cannot get enough to screen. The number of locally
produced movies have been decreasing at the same time as a
falling supply of imported films.

Jimmy Harianto, director at the 21 group of cinemas,
underlines Johan's opinions.

"How can we screen local films when they (producers) cannot
afford to make copies?" he says.

Another executive at the 21 Group says some local producers
intentionally limit the number of copies of their films.

Garin, for instance, only made two copies of his famous Daun
Di Atas Bantal (A Leaf on a Pillow), which cost around Rp 700
million (US$60,000).

"The response from the public is extraordinary. We have
already sold more than 31,000 tickets for Daun at Pondok Indah
and Plaza Senayan theaters only. I don't know why Garin does not
produce more copies," he said.

Quality, however, seems to be more important for Garin than
the number of copies available. "Local film laboratories are
unable to process film with excellent quality. Meanwhile,
moviegoers demand local films have picture and sound quality
comparable to Hollywood movies," said Garin.

To anticipate this, the producer of Daun Di Atas Bantal sent
the movie to be processed in Australia, even though this means
that they could only afford two copies for the local market. For
the international market, the film's distributors from Japan and
France supported the film by prepaying the processing fee for
their own copies.

Another director, Marselli Sumarno, also has limited copies of
his debut, Sri, which cost almost Rp 800 million.

"Ideally, a film needs 20 copies for one city. But I made only
six. Three for the domestic market and three for the
international market," Marselli said. (rid/ylt)