Jakarta film archive struggles to survive

Jakarta film archive struggles to survive

By Muninggar Sri Saraswati

JAKARTA (JP): Film records human life just like a book does.
It documents human life in a different form: a combination of
motion picture and recorded sound.

To learn more about film, particularly about Indonesian
cinema, check out Sinematek Indonesia.

Situated in Usmar Ismail Film Center on Jl. HR Rasuna Said,
South Jakarta, Sinematek is the only film archive in the country.
It houses various kinds of Indonesian film archives, including
copies, negatives, dialogue sheets and publications.

You will discover film as a reflection of culture, instead of
just entertainment. You can watch the same movie your parents did
when they were still dating.

You can observe the life of the Indonesian people in a
previous era, from their lifestyle to discourses on gender and
politics and so forth.

Sinematek in fact plays a significant role in the film
industry here. Its function is to preserve, develop and maintain
the film collection.

Sinematek has a collection of posters, which are quite
interesting since the illustrations were made using old fashioned
media, such as watercolors. Currently most movie posters are made
from photographs.

Another interesting scene in Sinematek is some 58 cameras and
projectors used to produce movies in the past.

However, it is the printed materials collected by the agency
that attract the most visitors.

The main visitors to Sinematek are university students and
scholars, who are conducting research related to cinema,
sociology or culture.

Sinematek would also be more than happy to lend their
collections for public interest, such as to the Jakarta
International Film Festival.

"But if you want to borrow our films to celebrate your
birthday, even if you pay Rp 1 million, we won't lend them," S.M.
Ardan, the deputy head of Sinematek, told The Jakarta Post.

Sinematek's collection covers more than 2,000 films including
videos and laser discs, more than 7,000 film posters, about
35,000 photographic prints and more than 10,000 printed materials
such as books, film scripts and dialog sheets.

Among its collection are internationally acclaimed Asian and
non-Asian movies.

Ardan said that the agency obtained some films from the
producers themselves and from mobile theater owners, who had gone
bankrupt and sold old Indonesian movies at reasonable prices or
gave away their collections.

There is no charge for borrowing books and films, but for each
film, one has to pay a Rp 15,000 administrative fee.

Scholars and institutions usually give a donation to express
their gratitude.

Yet, Sinematek, which was founded in 1975 during the tenure of
governor Ali Sadikin, as a part of Usmar Ismail Film Center, is
facing financial problems.

Sinematek now relies on the Rp 17 million monthly allowance
provided by the Film Center Foundation and the National Film
Management.

The shortage of funds prevents the agency from managing its
work well. Sinematek can no longer keep its film collection up to
date, or improve the maintenance of its collection.

But the worst setback happened two years ago, when the agency
could no longer afford to pay its annual membership fee to the
International Federation of Film Archives. The fee is 37,500
Belgium francs (about Rp 7.5 million), a staff member said.

Ardan said FFAF had not terminated Sinematek's membership, but
he added that Sinematek would accept its fate should that happen.

This is unfortunate, because the federation, which links more
than 60 film archive associations around the world, provides
Sinematek with information about film preservation.

Ardan urged the government and film society to help the
agency, considering that Sinematek is a noncommercial agency, not
a film rental business.

Creative

Commenting on the issue, film observer Marselli Sumarno,
suggested that Sinematek be creative in exploring ways to
overcome its financial problems.

Marselli, a film lecturer at Jakarta Arts Institute, said that
instead of placing hopes in the government, Sinematek should
start making efforts to be financially independent.

Being a noncommercial agency means the agency is not profit
oriented. However, it is acceptable for Sinematek to make money
to maintain its existence, he said.

He said that some foreign film archive agencies are able to
raise funds by screening their film collection to visitors or
producing old movies in a new form, like VCD, to name a few.

"Such productions could become a good source of revenue that
would enable Sinematek to survive," Marselli remarked.

He suggested that Sinematek recruit some new personnel, who
have knowledge about new film technology and a business
orientation, in order to revitalize the agency.

Marselli noted that the reorganization of Sinematek is a must
due to its important role in documenting Indonesian culture, by
preserving film memorabilia.