High hopes for revived local film industry

By Gotot Prakosa

JAKARTA (JP): For more than 50 years -- since Indonesia's independence -- foreign films have dominated the circulation of films in Indonesia. This condition has made national films powerless. It has been one of the main causes for the sad decline of national film production.

In the 1950s, under the Old Order government, the Motion Pictures Export Association of America (MPEAA) opened a representative office in Indonesia called the American Motion Pictures Association of Indonesia (AMPAI). The latter represented famous studios like Paramount, Universal, RKO, 20th Century Fox, MGM, Columbia Pictures, United Artists and Republic.

Since that time, AMPAI films have dominated the circulation of films shown in cinemas. Other foreign films coming from India, Malaysia, China and even Europe were shoved aside.

In 1952, Indonesia was inundated with American films. There were 350 of them in that year. Annual national production was about 30 films. There was no quota on imported films.

Indonesian importers had only a priority for films from Asia and Europe. AMPAI dominated the rest. At that time, every film distributor (both foreign and Indonesian) circulated films himself to the cinemas based on a percentage of revenues after tax.

Usmar Ismail was the first Indonesian film director who succeeded in breaking into film circulation in first-class cinemas with his film Krisis (Crisis). The film was popular with the public. However, AMPAI was still dominant in the first-class cinemas; national films, except for Krisis, were circulated only in lower-class cinemas.

Reality shows that there were no national films of quality. It made Usmar Ismail and Djamaludin Malik, both top Indonesian film directors, feel they had to develop the public's taste with non- American films of quality.

They imported quality art films. The public loved these films from various countries. The films were prize winners at film festivals.

In 1963, an organization called the Committee for the Boycotting of American Imperialist Films, backed by the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), rejected films from the United States. The boycott spread to films from Europe, even India and Malaysia (Indonesia was waging a "confrontation" war with Malaysia). AMPAI was banned on Aug. 17, 1964. With a lack of films, many cinemas changed their function into buildings for other performances or storage houses.

At the time of the PKI abortive coup (September 30, 1965), there was only one film produced.

In the early l970s, with former president Soeharto in power and the start of the New Order era, film importers joined the Association of Indonesian Film Importers and Producers. They imported films from Europe, especially from Italy, in large quantities, also Independent productions (film companies which did not belong to MPEAA) from the United States. In the initial period of the New Order era, imported films totaled some 700 annually.

The system of importing films was limited to two copies and four trailers of each film. Additional copies could be obtained by the importers after handing over the damaged copies to the Film Censor Board. Each imported film for circulation in Indonesia was subject to a payment of Rp 250,000 under a policy of the rehabilitation of the national film industry.

The association had a great number of members who vied with each other to get the imported films. This was especially the case with Mandarin films, which were considered the best, commercially. This excess led to an over-abundant supply of Mandarin films.

Policy

Therefore, the government issued a policy in 1972 appointing CV Asia Baru as the sole importer for Mandarin films. In the same year, the Coordinating Board for Film Importers (BKIF) was set up. Each member was free to circulate his films through any person after payment of an "import fund" to Asia Baru or a BKIF official.

Then, a monopolistic assignment was given to Anugraha Film as the BKIF member for American films, Hana International Film for European films and Andy Yasa Film for non-Mandarin Asian films.

Not long afterward, PT Suptan Film (owned by Sudwikatmono), attracted by the lucrative business, replaced CV Asia Baru. The number of cinemas increased sharply, in excess of 2,000.

The near-zero development of national films led former information minister Mashuri to disband the BKIF and to issue a joint decision by three ministers on the compulsory circulation and showing of national films (cinemas were obliged to show at least two Indonesian films every month). This decision gave birth to the Regional Film Development Board and an organization called the National Film Distribution Company (PERFIN) as sole distributor of Indonesian films.

Coordinator

In its development, PERFIN only acted as a coordinator or only participated in fixing the date and schedule of Indonesian films. It also collected 5 percent of the revenues of each national film. Mashuri changed the BKIF system into four Film Import Consortium (KIF): KIF Europe/America I, held by Archipelago Film; KIF Europe/America II, held by Jati Jawa Film; KIF Non-Mandarin, managed by Adhi Yasa Film; and KIF Mandarin, held by Subtan Film. Each KIF had 21 importer members, except Subtan, which had eight.

Another policy introduced by Mashuri was that the film importer concerned was given a "compensation" quota of three imported films for the production of one Indonesian film. An importer who did not produce films was obliged to buy three production certificates with a nominal value of Rp 3 million each, in order to be able to import one film through each KIF.

The compulsory production for film importers boosted the production of national films to some 170 a year, the highest in Indonesian film history. Mashuri also endeavored to decrease the quota of imported films gradually and to obtain films of quality.

In 1978, Ali Murtopo became the minister of information. He abolished the KIF system and established the Association of Film Importers (AIF). AIF comprised: AIF Europe/America, held by Archipelago Film with 15 importers as members; AIF Non-Mandarin, held by Adhi Yasa Film with five members; and AIF Mandarin, held by Suptan with six members.

The quota of films in the Ali Murtopo era amounted to 260, plus 25 children's films. Each import was subject to a payment of Rp 3 million to be paid by the importer to the head office of Bank Bumi Daya. The amount payable entitled the importer to a production certificate. Six copies could be made from each imported film with a five-year period for its circulation.

In 1983 when Harmoko was the information minister, the number of importer members was reduced to only 18. AIF Europe/America was held by Citra Jaya Film with seven members, AIF Non-Mandarin was held by Nafila Film with five members and AIF Mandarin was held by Suptan Film with five members. The quota was only 200 films: 100 from Europe/America, 50 Non-Mandarin and 50 Mandarin. Six to nine copies were the limit for each category.

There was no change in the price of the certificate: Rp 3 million. One year later, the quota was reduced to 190 films: 100 for Europe/America, 45 Non-Mandarin films and 45 Mandarin.

In 1990, the quota of imported films became 160 and all AIF were controlled by Suptan Film through PT Subentra Co. (Sudwikatmono/Benny Suherman Trading Company). This company established a film imperium called Cineplex 21, which divided a big building into four cinemas with the quality of room and sound in accordance with American films. Subentra dominated all the higher-level cinemas throughout Indonesia. It was all approved by minister of information Harmoko.

It was contested by many sides as the granting of a monopoly on film circulation. At the time, the number of cinemas amounted to over 3,000. It was also at that time that the MPEAA officially returned to Indonesia, cooperating with Subentra (also endorsed by Harmoko) in June 1991. The occasion was marked by the showing of Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves.

Although the MPEAA had opened its representative office in Indonesia, at the end of 1991, Indonesia incurred a penalty from the United States by virtue of Act 301, the trade of films in exchange of textiles. This increasingly strengthened the MPEAA's position and rendered Subentra to increasingly lose its bargaining power.

By this time, the private television industry was born (starting with RCTI and later SCTV, part of whose shares were owned by the family of Soeharto at the time), while national film production increasingly declined due to arbitrary treatment by the authorities (both Subentra and the government itself). The following pattern of circulation was applied: Circulation of national films had to obtain the approval of PERFIN, while imported films were under no such obligation.

National films could only be shown according to a scheduled program, while imported films could be shown any time. National films could only circulate on one channel (class A, B, C), while imported films could enter all channels. The screen quota was fixed at two days, according to a joint decision by the three ministers, while imported films were free from the screen quota and free to be shown for a few days.

National films were subject to a minimum number of spectators on the first as well as subsequent days. If the number of spectators failed to meet the quota, the film was withdrawn and replaced with an imported film. Imported films were not subject to a binding regulation. With five spectators only, a film was still shown. The number of spectators of national films had to be reported to PERFIN, while there was no such regulation for imported films.

Ticket-sale revenues were paid to the film owners with a grace period of two weeks up to six months, while owners of imported films received their share of the revenues immediately. National films were subject to a 5 percent due as circulation costs, while no such dues were imposed on imported films.

Advertisements were the responsibility of the film owners themselves, while for imported films, the advertisements were charged to the cinemas showing the films and not the importers. Circulation of national films was strict, while that of imported films was flexible. The then minister of information Harmoko always stated emphatically that national films must become hosts in their own country but it was very ironic that the contrary was true, i.e. national films were guests in their own country.

In the Reform era, minister of information Mohamad Yunus, who reintroduced openness to the media, did not touch on the essential problems of national films. At the time, the economic crisis was still strongly felt and its excess affected the film business. An increasingly greater number of cinemas in the provinces did not receive films from Jakarta.

The number of imported films dwindled sharply because of the high rate of the dollar against the rupiah. MPEAA was of the opinion that the Indonesian market was unfavorable and was, thus, reluctant to supply films to Indonesia. Nevertheless there were still 56 films imported from Hollywood. "That was because they took pity on us," said Johan Tjasmadi, who was chairman of the Association of Indonesian Cinema Entrepreneurs.

Production of national films declined sharply to fewer than 10 films. Many importers, including Sudwikatmono, abandoned their business because films were no longer considered profitable.

Hope on the Gus Dur-Megawati government

Then, in the current President Abdurrahman (popularly known as Gus Dur)-Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri government, the ministry of information that was always changing its policies on national films was dissolved.

The above events have become bitter memories for the Indonesian film circulation industry. The hope is now laid on the two national leaders. Gus Dur as a man of culture, who was once involved in various activities related to films, both as a jury member at the Indonesian Film Festival and as a member of the Jakarta Arts Council, while Megawati is without doubt highly attracted to matters of art.

There is great hope in the community that the importation of films will be free. It should not be limited to American/European, Non-Mandarin and Mandarin films. This was evident in the recent Jakarta International Film Festival '99; that the community is very attracted to the diversity of films from various countries.

Thus, the government must have the courage to review the MPEAA policy, abolish the monopoly in circulation, distribution and types of films. Priority should go to good films which have won prizes at various international film festivals.

The printing of imported film copies must be done in Indonesia. The original language of an imported film must be maintained. Imported films should play a supplementary role to national films. The cinemas which do not belong to a Cineplex 21 should be revived. Art houses should be built for art/alternative films. Cineclubs must be introduced to campuses.

Film festivals, both on a national and international scale, should be supported by the government. The government should also provide funds for film appreciation and the smooth running of film festivals.

Many people are of the opinion that the Film Censor Board should be abolished. It should be replaced by a body that does not censor by cutting films. Instead it should give protection by way of a classification of films in accordance with the age of the viewers.

Films falling into the category of art films shown at festivals should be given a special classification solely for art/intellectual circles. Special supervision must be organized for the showing of art films. It should take place only at festivals or in art houses and cineclubs.

Tax on tickets should only apply to commercial films. Art films should be distinguished from commercial films. The tax should be invested and used for the development of national films.

Local film circles have set their hopes on the leadership of Gus Dir and Megawati in the coming years.

--The writer is a film director and a lecturer at Film and Television Department at the Jakarta Arts Institute