Riri Riza plans to return film award

JAKARTA: In response to blasphemy allegations made by the World Hindu Youth Organization (WHYO) to Garin Nugroho's movie Opera Jawa (Requiem from Java), young film director Riri Riza said he wanted to return the award he received from Bali International Film Festival, organized by WYHO.

Garin's movie is an interpretation of the Ramayana epic.

"I'll make an official statement to the press as soon as possible," Riri said on the sidelines of the opening of Jakarta International Film Festival (Jiffest) on Dec. 9.

He said that his gesture aimed to discourage moves that stifled the freedom of expression.

Riri added that several filmmakers received an award from the festival. He was considering contacting filmmakers to discuss the possibility of their acting in unison.

Recently, a number of artists have indicated growing concern about fundamentalist actions that suppress cultural expression, like the recent demand from the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) that CP Biennale Arts Festival dismantle Agus Suwage's work, which displayed nude photographs taken by Davy Linggar.

Previously, WYHO protested Iwan Fals, accusing the singer of committing blasphemy against the Hindu religion due, it said, to Iwan's depiction of God on the sleeve of his record. --JP