Garin's film goes to Tokyo
Garin's film goes to Tokyo
JAKARTA (JP): Young director Garin Nugroho's third feature
film Bulan Tertusuk Ilalang (...And the Moon Dances) will take
part in the International Competition Forum of the 8th Tokyo
International Film Festival which opens on Friday.
Bulan Tertusuk Ilalang was one of 11 finalists selected from
223 films from 44 countries entered in the Sept. 22 to Oct. 1
festival.
Bulan, a story of a love triangle between a traditional music
teacher and his male and female students, is the first Indonesian
film to compete in the international festival.
Garin faces tough competition. Other finalists include Der
Bewegte Mann (The Most Desired Man) by Sonke Wortmann of Germany,
Dolores Clairborne by Taylor Hackford of the U.S., Hotel Sorrento
by Richard Franklin of Australia, Eternal Empire by Park Chong-
Won of South Korea, Super Citizen Ko by Wan Jen of Taiwan, Killer
by Tim Metcalfe of the U.S., and Emergency Call by Kazuki Omori
of Japan.
"It will be very tough because I have to compete against
established names in the film industry," Garin said.
Garin held a thanksgiving reception to celebrate his film
selected in Jakarta on Monday.
The film director did not rate his chances highly.
The film participated in the 40th Asian-Pacific Film festival
in Jakarta last July but left prizeless.
His acceptance to the Tokyo festival has added to the list of
Garin's achievements.
Last year, his film Surat Untuk Bidadari (Letter for an Angel)
won the best film category at the Tokyo Film Festival's Young
Competition Forum.
"I do feel appreciated because to join the International
Competition Forum of Tokyo Film Festival you should be over 35
years old or have produced at least three films," said Garin who
is now 33 years old.
The Tokyo Film Festival has three main forums each year: the
International Competition Forum, Young Competition Forum for
talented debutantes and Best Asian Films Forum, which is not a
competition.
Bulan has not been screened in Indonesian theaters because
Garin has not been able to find a distributor. The film is said
to be too artistic for the market and therefore a potential
commercial flop. (als)