Film Center ready for Jakarta anniversary

JAKARTA (JP): Renovation of the 21-year-old Usmar Ismail Film Center in Kuningan, South Jakarta, will be completed for the capital's jubilee on June 22.

The head of the center's foundation, Syaukat, said yesterday the new five-story office would also include a basement for film archives.

Head of the Indonesian Film Archives Misbach Jusa Biran said, "We are hoping the new facility will encourage public interest in national films and other documentaries."

He said the archive has about 200 films which are well preserved. These were mostly selected films nominated in annual national film competitions.

A 1995 catalog on Indonesian films revealed 2,261 titles had been produced since 1926, of which only 1,500 were in good condition.

Syaukat said, "The governor (Surjadi Soedirdja) expects the renovated center could help strengthen the national film identity and integrity."

The second floor of the 7,500-meter-square site will also include a 500-seat cinema, where selected premiers of local and foreign films would be screened.

Misbach said the center's free services and facilities, including free cinema and library membership, would hopefully increase public interest in local films.

The building, which is next to Pasar Festival on Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, was first built by governor Ali Sadikin on Oct. 20, 1975. The municipality owned the building and let the foundation run it.

The renovation is part of a planned Rp 500 billion project by the Bakrie Group and Gesit Group, under a build, operate and transfer deal with the city.

A subsidiary of Gesit, PT Dharma Alumas Sakti, started renovating the film center in December 1995.

The 20-year deal covers renovation of the city-owned film center and the Soemantri Brodjonegoro sports center. The developers are also building city offices. A parking lot under a hockey field with a capacity of 1,000 cars has been completed.

Seventy percent of the Usmar Ismail Center's office units would be used for commercial use and 30 percent would be for film-related use.

Syaukat said the archives room would be maintained at a temperature of eight degree Celsius with a certain degree of humidity to preserve film quality.

Syaukat said the foundation would have an office which would be exempted from utility bills.

Misbach said he hoped for government subsidy, so students could watch educational and documentary films for free. (10)