International Film Festival hits Jakarta's silver screens

JAKARTA (JP): Here is the ultimate test for Jakarta film buffs: Can they sit in a darkened movie theater watching films back-to-back for hours on end for several consecutive days?

They would probably say "been there, done that" with the week- long British Film Festival or the French Film Week coming to town regularly every year. The city's moviegoers are probably used to watching six to seven films on the big screen at a stretch.

But try 65 films. And try going in and out of the cinema for nine days straight. If that seems overwhelming, then you are only beginning to appreciate the scope of the first Jakarta International Film Festival to be held between November 20 and 28, 1999.

Here is where filmmakers, film observers and film lovers will blend together in an event exclusively dedicated to cinema. Award-winning films and cinematic masterpieces from all over the world will be screened at three different venues: Graha Bakti Budaya (GBB) and the TIM 21 movie theater, both at the Ismail Marzuki Arts Center, and the Usmar Ismail Film Center.

Meanwhile, international film directors will make appearances and share their experiences with the audience. And film enthusiasts will find seminars and discussions where they can voice their opinions and brainstorm about film issues.

But this is more than just an opportunity to see a wide array of films. The festival provides a chance for Jakarta's moviegoers to get familiar with a number of recipients of international film awards. These are titles that usually only spring up in film magazines and have not reached our regular theaters.

Central Station, for example, is the 1998 Brazilian film that won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival and became famous in the U.S. for winning a Golden Globe Award and receiving two nominations at the Academy Awards earlier this year for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Actress in a Leading Role. This moving story is about a boy and a crusty old woman who trek the streets of Brazil in search of the boy's father. It was chosen as the festival's opening film.

And Good Will Hunting, an Academy Award-winning film last year in which Robin Williams won an Oscar for his performance as a mild-mannered psychologist, is finally arriving on the big screen here due to the collaboration between the festival's organizers and the Studio 21 film chain.

There are a lot more selections coming from Asia, America, Europe, the Middle East, Australia, as well as from the host country Indonesia. They come in various lengths and formats: long, short, feature and documentary. As each film will only be shown once, going to the festival will certainly require a good study of the festival's schedule and day-to-day planning so that you will not miss out on what you really want to see.

After all, that is what film enthusiasts have been doing in various annual film festivals around the world. And those are not necessarily held in faraway places. There are annual film festivals in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Pusan, Korea. They are even held in neighboring countries such as the Philippines and also in Singapore, which has been hosting its film festival for 12 years running.

The Jakarta International Film Festival was initiated by film producer Shanty Harmayn and Natacha Devillers, an expatriate living in Jakarta who has been planning the project for over a year. With help from film artists Rayya Makarim, Marselli Sumarno, Lulu Ratna and film critic Tam Notosusanto, and endorsements from public figures Garin Nugroho, Goenawan Mohamad as well as numerous sponsors and companies, this gigantic event has been brought to its fruition.

Tickets for the festival can be ordered at 923-8364, by e- mailing jiffest@cbn.net.id or by visiting their website at www.jiffest.com.