Indonesian film 'The Rainmaker' honored at Shanghai filmfest

John Badalu, Contributor, Beijing

The Eighth Shanghai International Film Festival declared The Rainmaker (Impian Kemarau), directed by Ravi Bharwani, Best Film in the New Asian Talent competition, which ran from June 11 though June 19.

It defeated nine other Asian films including the favorite, Iranian film Undone, by Hassan Yektapanah, who won the Best Director award, and the local, Mongolian Pingpong, by Ning Hao.

The jury, led by prominent Chinese director Jia Zhangke, and including Joan Chen, Lee Myung-Se (from South Korea) and Adoor Gopalakrishnan (India), chose The Rainmaker for combining traditionally Asian idyllic style with an experimental spirit. The award was presented on stage by Joan Chen and Hollywood actor Brendan Fraser to Ravi Bharwani.

"When the winner was announced I thought they'd made a mistake. I never thought I would come here and win. I knew from the beginning it was a difficult film. It produced some extreme reaction from the audience: People either love it or hate it.

"I didn't even plan to come to this festival. But with help from the Indonesian Business Association in Shanghai and Garuda Indonesia, I'm here." said Bharwani, still wearing an astonished expression.

The Rainmaker is Bharwani's first feature, taking five years to complete due to financial restraints. Little-known actors Levie Hardigan, Clara Sinta and well-known Ria Irawan produced a solid performance in the film.

It is about sensation and is thick with atmospheric sequences, to feel and not only to watch. It is meant to be poetry about life where the heart speaks through gestures, the look in the eye, music, Javanese songs and soundscape.

With strong, yet stunning cinematography from Yudi Datau, of the Central Java coastal area, visuals took precedence over the minimal dialog of the film, making it truly unusual.

The film has not yet been screened widely in Indonesia but has already traveled to some important festivals around the globe. It was premiered at the Pusan International Film Festival in South Korea last year and went straight into the competition section. It was the only Indonesian film in the competition from six other Indonesian films screened at the festival.

It has also been screened in the prestigious Rotterdam International Film Festival earlier this year and went into competition again at the Bangkok International Film Festival 2005.

Locally, it has been screened at the Jakarta International Film Festival and the Q! Film Festival.

It has been many years since an Indonesian film has won anything at international film festivals. With a new wave of directors now at work, there is always hope.

Ravi Bharwani has proved that he will be one to watch in the future. Also on the list is director Joko Anwar, with his first feature Janji Joni (Joni's promise).

The film has officially been selected for the Sydney International Film Festival, which is still running this week, while the Asian American Film Festival in New York has nominated Joko in the category "Young Promising Directors", the winners of which will be announced some time in July.