Marselli vows to bring reality to the screen

Marselli vows to bring reality to the screen

By Joko E.H. Anwar

JAKARTA (JP): Despite commercial failure of his first big
screen film Sri last year, 44-year-old Marselli Sumarno is moving
ahead with his career as a filmmaker.

In fact, Marselli, who was previously known as a film critic
for The Jakarta Post and Kompas dailies is one of the most
promising among many emerging new filmmakers in the country.

His first film, which was financed by film producer Kemala
Atmojo, businessman Moetaryanto, the Dutch-based Hubert Bals Fund
and Indonesia's National Film Assessment Board, has been
generally accepted by critics here.

His first job was for Kompas where he mostly reported on
events in the film world and wrote reviews of the Indonesian
cinema. The graduate of the Jakarta Arts Institute (IKJ) School
of Film and Television went on writing screenplays for big screen
movies like Malioboro, Tragedi Bintaro (Bintaro's Tragedy) and
Oom Pasikom.

The soft-spoken man has written several books on film
including one titled Dasar-dasar Apresiasi Film (The Basics for
Film Appreciation). He also became a correspondent for an Indian
film magazine, Cinemaya and the annual International Film Guide,
which is published in Britain.

On Wednesday, the film lecturer shared his thoughts with The
Jakarta Post.

Question: What made you decided to change your path from a
film critic to a filmmaker?

Answer: I was happy with my profession as a critic when I had
(Indonesian) films to write about. But then the number of film
productions began to decrease, I had fewer movies to write about.
Then I started writing filmscripts. But I was disappointed
because they weren't made as I intended. So I decided to make a
film of my own. But that was not easy either because nobody
wanted to make my film which was considered too artistic. I had
to wait 11 years to find a producer.

Q: What do you think about your first film, Sri?

A: I'm quite satisfied with it because it was exactly the kind of
film I wanted to make. I wanted to make an artistic film. I know
it did not become a box office film but the film's market is
actually not here. That's why I'm selling it aboard. I've already
received a fax from a television network in Japan which is
interested to screen it.

Q: Why did Sri not sell very well?

A: I think it was because the marketing department was not very
active. But that has become the problem here in Indonesia. There
aren't enough professional marketing people, interested to get
into film business. Now everybody thinks about making films. Take
Si Doel Anak Sekolahan (Doel, the Graduate -- a local TV series)
for example, it only sells in ASEAN countries while (Brazilian)
telenovelas are sold in more than 30 countries. That needs good
marketing skill. It's time for marketing professionals to think
that film is a very profitable field.

Q: What is your next film project?

A: It's about this frustrated jobless man dealing with his
problem. It will start production in March or April next year. I
actually have a second option which is about several college
girls who become high-class prostitutes. That's a reality, too.

Q: Why did you pick the first one?

A: Read the newspaper. There are now 40 million jobless in
Indonesia. The story about the college girls becoming prostitutes
is certainly more commercial so it's going to be easy to find
someone to fund it. But the situation of the jobless disturbs me
very much.

Currently I'm also working on documentaries on a famous
(Javanese) dancer, Sadono, on Gesang (famous Indonesian
songwriter) and on the Borobudur.

Q: What should people in films do to revive the industry?

A: There is this triangle concept between director, scriptwriter,
and producer which has become a trend that should be adapted here
to make films. Producers should know what kind of film that the
public needs. A Scriptwriter must be able to write it well while
the director should be able to transform it onto film.

Q: There is not even one production here which adapted that
concept?

A: There is one, Petualangan Sherina (The Adventure of Sherina).
The film's producer knew the potential market, the scriptwriter
was able to make a screenplay which amused children, and the film
was made by a skilled director. The most noted person in the film
is the producer, Mira Lesmana. We need more people like her.

Q: Are you optimistic that the film industry here can be revived?

A: Our domestic market is actually enough to support the
industry. If you can have one million people see your film and
each pay Rp 5,000, you get Rp 5 billion. But, again, it depends
on the marketing people how they are able to capture the
audiences.

Q: Do you think we have enough talent to make films here?

A: Filmmakers, yes, but like I said, we need more marketing
people.

Q: There are many young videomakers and filmmakers here now who
think that all they need to make films is the courage to do it.
But most of them, due to lack of skills, end up making films that
look strictly amateurish.

A: I think they just need time to develop and natural selection
will apply. But we can't make a first film which is already good.

Q: Do you think they are just less talented? In other countries
we know there are many first-timers who made good films.

A: Yeah, but let's not forget that film was already deep in their
culture even in their education system. They grew up in countries
very accustomed to audio-visual products. They have many theaters
which do not only show mainstream films, but there are also art-
theaters and theaters which show foreign films. Here, there is
only one kind of film theater. They show commercial films.
Watching film is a very important process for filmmaker wannabes.

Q: How about the funding here?

A: In socialist countries such as in Russia, film schools receive
good subsidies. But not here. Luckily, there are a lot of people
from other countries who are willing to fund film projects made
by our filmmakers now. Some give funds with conditions, for
example, the film should be screened in their countries first.
But some even give it with no conditions at all. That's very
different from the past.

Another privilege enjoyed by young filmmakers today is
technology. We can shoot movies with digital video cameras which
are relatively cheap but have good quality. I bought one myself.

Q: What kind of film do you think will attract audiences these
days?

A: Comedies which make us laugh at ourselves will be profitable,
or films which reflect people's hopes.

Q: Do you think censorship is still appropriate to be applied in
Indonesia?

A: There should be a board which is established by film people
themselves, to give ratings to films, which ones are for
children, for adults and so on. If this board existed, there
would be no need for a censorship board anymore. But film
theaters should be responsible. If a film is only to be seen by
adults, children should not be allowed to enter.

Q: What do you think of (director) Garin Nugroho?

A: Garin is an explorer. He makes films as he likes and he is
aware of the consequences such as less people will want to see
his films. He once said he did not need people to see his films.
But Garin can be very good PR for himself. That's why he always
has somebody to fund his films.

Q: What is your favorite film lately?

A: Ummm... Life is Beautiful.

Q: What's your favorite Indonesian film?

A: Let's see... I think it's Usmar Ismail's Lewat Jam Malam (Past
Curfew). It's amazing because Usmar, who was an ex-military
officer, could portray the lives of soldiers realistically. There
were no other films like it during the New Order era which used
to portray soldiers larger-than-life. I think it's going to be
interesting to make a film about a soldier's life today. About a
soldier who has to get involved with robbery due to economic
problems.