Major film festival to be split into two

JP/18/FFI

check -- JSR Major RI film festival to be split into two

M. Taufiqurrahman The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Responding to a spate of criticism from filmmakers following a poorly-arranged awards ceremony last year, the organizing committee of the Indonesian Film Festival (FFI) has decided to hold two separate galas for the event.

Chairman of the FFI organizing committee Adisurya Abdy said for this year's program there would be two separate award ceremonies, one for small-screen films and another for 33- millimeter feature and documentary films.

A ceremony for honoring filmakers with outstanding achievement in TV production is scheduled for Dec. 5, while a similar program for widescreen films will be held on Dec. 15.

Adisurya said that the decision was made after the organizing committee learned that the bulk of the cast and crews of contesting films in FFI 2004 complained about being shut out from a live telecast when they received the Citra award.

Young filmakers accused the committee of the governmnet- sanctioned movie competition of being disrespectful to crews involved in filmmaking.

Director Riri Riza has said that the film industry has been subsumed by the stupidity of television.

"With such an arrangement, we believe that winners in all categories could appear in a live telecast," Adisurya told a press briefing on Monday. The two galas will be broadcast live by Indosiar.

After being absent for over a decade, the government revived last year the once-trustworthy annual film festival in tandem with increased local film production.

Urban comedy Arisan swept best picture and most of the major acting awards at last year's film festival.

Critics have said results from the first FFI in years could be seen as a token of gratitude directed toward young filmmakers who had long campaigned to resuscitate the ailing film industry, as indicated by so many awards being given to young cast members and crews.

At this year's FFI, aside from awards for acting, directing and other filmmaking categories, the committee will give a lifetime achievement award.

The committee has decided that only films produced between October 2004 and October 2005 will be eligible to enter this year's FFI.

Last year, nominations for the Citra award spanned the period 2000 to 2004.

The jury for this year's FFI will include director Garin Nugroho, playwright Putu Wijaya, actress Nurul Arifin and Jajang C. Noor, as well as academics Sarlito Wirawan and Tommy F. Awuy from the University of Indonesia.

Commenting on further criticism that incentives from the Citra award were too paltry when compared with the labor involved in filmmaking, Adisurya said that award-winners should have been grateful that recognition was accorded them by the FFI.

"The FFI is the only universally recognized film festival in the country and its award gives individual winners high stature within Indonesia's film industry," he said.

Member of the organizing committee and TV soap opera actor Anwar Fuady said that it was gravely unfair to compare the FFI with Hollywood's Academy Awards.

"I've been in this business for 25 years, yet I never won an award and I was more than happy when I was nominated for my roles in the past. Young actors who received a Citra award with only one or two films under their belt should have shown more gratitude," he said.