Making films in hard times

By Brillianto K. Jaya

JAKARTA (JP): The national film industry is dying.

This statement is heard repeatedly these days, and the reason is obvious. One just has to look at the sharp decline in the number of new national films.

The same time-honored excuses are put forward, that this country lacks human resources in the film industry, and that the industry's development has been hampered by Subentra's Group 21 chain of cinemas, which controls film distribution.

The year of 1977 saw 133 new film titles -- the highest production rate in the country's history. In the 1980s, more than 50 titles were produced a year. There were 110 titles released in 1990, but then the number declined sharply.

While in 1991 film producers still turned out 61 titles, in 1995 there were only 27 titles and last year saw only 24 new films. It is more disheartening to note that, since 1993, most national films have focused mainly on sexual themes.

Shanty Herman, a film producer, said the decline of the film industry is due to a lack of human resources.

"Even though there are only a few film schools here, we have quite a lot of people gifted in film-making.

"The real problem is that there are no producers to push those gifted people to keep making progress," said Herman, the producer of acclaimed TV drama documentary Anak Seribu Pulau (Children of the Archipelago).

Another producer, Harun Suwardi, said Group 21's monopoly was a great burden on the nation's film industry.

"The monopoly has robbed national films of screening opportunities. If films screened at the cinemas in the Group 21 network are considered unsuccessful, they will be replaced with other films," said Suwardi, who also teaches in the School of Film and Television at the Jakarta Institute of the Arts.

He gave the example of Langitku Rumahku (My Sky My Home), which lasted only three days in the cinema chain because audience numbers were below the minimum required.

Some industry sources, however, believe the main problem is that gifted film makers are reluctant to make commercial films catering simply to mass appeal, preferring to make films according to their own interests.

Debates on the merits of commercial and more "idealistic" films have been going on for a considerable time among the nations film makers. In his book Seni, Tradisi dan Masyarakat (Arts, Tradition and Society, 1981), Umar Kayam explains that commercial and idealistic qualities are both required in the development of the film world. The problem, however, is that the growth of the film world does not necessarily reflect the growth of society.

The plot pattern employed in mainstream feature films is considered too conventional, leading to the emergence of alternative styles.

Daun di Atas Bantal (Leaf on a Pillow) is an example of a less conventional film. The director, Garin Nugroho, who was awarded a Wirakarya medal of merit by President B.J. Habibie on National Film Day on March 30, does not subscribe to the usual narrative pattern. This conventional formula presents a problem, which leads to conflict and resolution.

There is a problem exposed in the film, that of a syndicate cashing in on the death of street children by claiming on insurance. However, the film is open-ended, in that in terms of conflict and resolution, it lets viewers make their own conclusions. Besides, Daun does not contain a formulaic emotional structure.

"What audiences need now is an interesting film combining the elements of arts and market tastes," said Harun.

"In reality, however, there is a striking difference between these two elements. A highly idealistic artistic film will be too difficult for the majority of film viewers, while a film solely oriented to the market will usually pay little heed to esthetics.

"The films produced lately are experimental in nature. That's why the national film market is now very sluggish. It is the job of film makers to revive the national film market by making interesting films blending arts with market appeal."

Mira Lesmana, who represents the younger generation of the national film world, has indirectly confirmed Harun's analysis. Despite the popular flavor of Kuldesak (Cul-de-sac), made by Mira and three others, it is not a film easily accessible to the wider audience. It remains an artistic film.

Fewer people have turned out to see Kuldesak than Daun. Even at the Asian Film Festival at Deauville, France, the film di not enjoy a good response from France's film enthusiasts.

Although Kuldesak is considered a non-commercial film, Mira persists in her desire to produce a film with market appeal that retains its artistic integrity. She says the middle classes are her prime target audience.

"Middle-class people have quite a strong purchasing power. They are willing to fork out some money for entertainment," said Mira, who's husband is noted film actor Mathias Muchus.

"Besides, people of this social class are also both intellectually critical and keen on exploring novel things."

The optimism that Mira and her peers show in their resolve to revive the national film industry is indeed praiseworthy. However, the question is whether it is feasible to make films when the country is still in a deep monetary crisis.

"It is realistic," Shanty said firmly. "It is obviously difficult to make a film which can easily lure a lot of viewers. Kuldesak is a test case. What counts in this respect is that we do something. I therefore believe that it is quite realistic to make a film even when the country is hit by an acute crisis."

According to Shanty, to produce a film in hard times, film makers must cooperate with each other. "In this respect, film workers must not only help one another but they must also establish cooperation with the government. The government may provide financial assistance or simplify the bureaucratic procedures in film production."

Mira said film production would remain realistic if everyone involved in the industry -- including investors, distributors, cinema owners and the government -- joined forces. "The most important thing is to scrap bureaucracy, monopoly and censorship," she added.

Harun shares Mira's optimism and is of the opinion that despite the deep economic crisis, producing films remains a realistic undertaking. "Films as entertainment will be needed all the time," he said.

And President B.J. Habibie, to prove his commitment to revive the national film industry, has said the government will scrap the tax on the showing of films as a first step.