Film Center ready for Jakarta anniversary

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)