Film week held in honor of ailing Teguh Karya

Film week held in honor of ailing Teguh Karya

By Marselli Sumarno

JAKARTA (JP): Over the past few years, Indonesia has lost many
of its best film directors, such as Sjumandjaja, Wim Umboh,
Arifin C. Noer, Nya Abbas Akub and Wahyu Sihombing. Sadly, the
remaining few are no longer active for various reasons, such as
poor health.

Teguh Karya, one of the country's best directors, is among
those on their sickbeds. He has been spending his days at his
artistic studio, Teater Populer, in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta.

Set up 30 years ago, Teater Populer has produced many top
theater and movie stars, such as Slamet Rahardjo, the late Tuti
Indra Malaon, Christine Hakim, Nano Riantiarno, Niniek L. Karim,
Sylvia Widiantono and Henky Sulaiman.

And just like the directors, the Indonesian film industry is
also seriously "ill".

Teater Populer alumni, eager to reinvigorate the industry, are
to hold a festival featuring Teguh Karya's films from Sept. 18
through Sept. 21. The event is hoping to review Teguh's creative
works and his position in the national film industry for those
who have not seen his films or those who want to see them again.

The Teguh Karya movie week, as the organizers are calling it,
will take place at Usmar Ismail Film Center on Jl. H.R. Rasuna
Said, South Jakarta. Two films will be screened for free each day
from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. A discussion will be held on Sept. 22,
Teguh's 61st birthday.

The eight films have been selected from the 13 that Teguh has
directed since 1972. They include Wajah Seorang Laki-Laki (The
Face of a Man), Badai Pasti Berlalu (The Storm Will Pass),
November 1828 and Ibunda (Mother).

The films won Teguh six awards for best director in the annual
Indonesian Film Festival. They also won numerous Citra awards for
the stars and production crews. In total, the films won 52
awards.

His first film, The Face of a Man, was a bit theatrical, but
one of his best. It is about a young man named Amallo (Slamet
Rahardjo) in search of identity. He is in a bitter conflict with
his father who works for the Dutch colonial troops.

Amallo supported his friends' activity against the Dutch by
stealing his father's horses. He also stole Dutch's weapons for
the rebels.

Amallo's search for self-identity reminds one of Teguh's own
search for his identity. He is of Chinese descent and was born
Steve Liem.

Searching for identity is a theme that inspires his subsequent
films. But generally, Teguh's works are concerned with romance,
marriage and family affairs.

As evident in Wajah Seorang Laki-laki and November 1828,
Teguh's ambition is to make artistic films. However, he also has
to consider people's interests so created "commercial" films like
Badai Pasti Berlalu and Pacar Ketinggalan Kereta (Sweetheart
Misses the Train). Both were huge hits.

The commercial success of Badai Pasti Berlalu (1977) was made
possible by several factors. First, it was backboned by Christine
Hakim and Roy Marten, the most popular actor at the time. Second,
the film was based on a popular best-selling novel. Third, it had
excellent background music and theme songs by musician Eros
Djarot.

Then came November 1828 (1979) which, again, explored the
concept of searching for identity. The protagonist was Captain De
Brost (Slamet Rahardjo), a half-Indonesian, half-Dutch who wanted
to become "fully Dutch". His battle against Sentot Prawirodirjo,
Prince Diponegoro's most trusted soldier catapulted his career.

Slamet played the role magnificently and so did newcomer El
Manik. His performance in November 1828 pushed El Manik onto the
'A' list of Indonesian actors. The successes added credence to
the widely held view that Teguh talent for turning actors into
stars.

Teguh Karya's "discoveries" include Christine Hakim, Slamet
Rahardjo and Alex Komang. Actors and actress shined much more
brightly thanks to his polishing. Ayu Azhari and Nurul Arifin are
cases in point. Remember that Teguh is himself an actor.

Teguh created the scenario in most of the films he directed
and his art directing abilities are obvious from the excellent
artistic arrangements in his films.

As the leader of a theater group, his works are examples of
films produced by a traditional studio. He recruits talented
people to back his production, such as famed musician Idris
Sardi, and at the same time teaches people dedication. Learning
by doing is his philosophy. Teater Populer's studio was often the
venue of his filmmaking.

Teguh Karya is a film director with principles. He does not
work simply on the producer's orders but will cling to his own
beliefs. When private TV stations sprang up, he did not busy
himself with any old projects they offered but chose only the
ones he was truly interested in.

Happy Birthday, Teguh!

The writer is a lecturer at the School of Film and TV at the
Jakarta Arts Institute