Mira Lesmana puts children's films first

Mira Lesmana puts children's films first

JAKARTA (JP): Dressed in trendy pants and a white shirt with
the sleeves rolled up, her cap facing the wrong direction, Mira
Lesmana is a funky, energetic 36. She has embraced as a uniform
the laid-back attire of the young today, the members of the "MTV
Generation" who are forming their own culture of creativity.

The daughter of the late musician Jack Lesmana and singer Nien
Lesmana has her hands full arranging and conducting the promotion
for her new film Petualangan Sherina (Sherina's Adventure). She
balances work demands with caring for her husband, actor and game
show host Mathias Muchus, and their two children, Galin Galinggih
and Kafka Keandra.

Mira first made her name with the TV documentary series Anak
Seribu Pulau (Children of a Thousand Islands). The 14-part series
was broadcast simultaneously on all five state and private
television stations in mid-1996.

Her reputation grew with the film Kuldesak, in which she
joined forces with close friends Riri Reza, Nan T. Achnas and
Rizal Mantovani to direct four separate cinematic vignettes. It
gained critical and public acclaim as a fascinating movie with a
uniquely structured storyline.

Her directing days are not finished, but she said producing
movies was more satisfying than directing them.

"I have to have a lot of energy to take care of all the
requirements for the film, from deciding on the cast, the
scenario, securing funding, through to the promotion. The total
workload in a film production is a true challenge."

Work usually revolves around activities at MILES Production,
the production house she founded in 1994. She established the
business in conjunction with an assignment to produce the 13-
episode TV serial Enam Langkah for private station RCTI.
The production house serves as a hub to explore creativity and
also to gain income through producing TV advertisements.

Her love of film began in adolescence. She would stay up late
to watch as many movies as possible when she lived with her
parents in Australia. When she returned to Jakarta in 1985, she
chose to enroll at the Jakarta Arts Institute (IKJ).

She was a diligent student for three years, but it all changed
when she became directly involved in production of TV
advertisements for advertising agency Citra Lintas. She was
entrusted with the position of assistant producer.

Mira was already experienced at making public service
messages, working with Garin Nugroho, her senior at IKJ. However,
she acknowledged the Citra Lintas team showed her the importance
of discipline. After several years, she moved in 1992 to Katena,
a production house which also used foreign consultants.

After three years of making advertisements and video clips,
Mira felt stale. She wanted to move on to produce artistic,
quality films and believed that founding her own company would
provide her with greater artistic responsibility and freedom.

She considers making TV ads to be easier because of the
conditions and the requirement that they be completed quickly.
Payment is higher and it is more quickly disbursed than for TV or
movie productions, which need funding to be ready before
production starts.

"If a TV series can be sold immediately to a television
station, the funds can be used for other productions. If it is
not, the production house stands to suffer losses. It's the same
for movie productions," Mira said.

"But because a work like Petualangan Sherina has been an
obsession for me, I think the expenditure cannot be compared to
the happiness of those who enjoy the film."

Mira said it was important for her to maintain her family's
harmony regardless of her hectic professional life. She takes
great interest in her children's development -- and it is a
concern she extends to young people in general. She believes
education in the arts is important for all children, noting that
a child will love the theater, painting, music and film even if
he or she does not want to become an artist.

In her aim to promote the importance of art education in young
lives, Mira is active in the parent teacher association at An-
nisaa elementary school where Galih is a student. She was once
the head of the PTA, and one of her programs was to invite
artists such as conductor Adhi MS to speak at the school.

Mira is also playing a part in the end-of-year theater
performance at the school.

"The students will perform, and the show will be a type of
training in introducing them to what it takes to be a
professional." (Gotot Prakosa)