Signs of hope for local film revival?

The Indonesian film industry has been in the doldrums since the late 1980s. Film production has constantly been low, and the few films that have been made have attracted the attention of but a few moviegoers. However the recent artistic and commercial success of Daun Di Atas Bantal (A Leaf On A Pillow), directed by Garin Nugroho, has given rise to hopes of an industry-wide revival. The Jakarta Post team of K. Basrie, Ivy Susanti, Imannudin, Emmy Fitri, Riyadi, Yogita Tahil Ramani, and IGGP Bayu Ismoyo look at the prospects for the national film industry as it tries to revive itself amid the economic crisis.

JAKARTA (JP): A group of college students set out for Pondok Indah 21 in South Jakarta on Saturday evening with one aim, to watch Daun Di Atas Bantal (A Leaf On A Pillow).

But after hours waiting in a long queue, they left disappointed. They went to Plaza Senayan, but again to no avail. All tickets were sold out.

It was not until the next day that they managed to get tickets to watch the movie.

"The film was great," Achmad Muhibuddin, one of the students, said.

Achmad's sentiments have been shared by much of the cinema- going public in what has been a rare and much welcomed phenomenon for local film makers.

When was the last time crowds here lined up for a local production and not the latest megabudget offering from Hollywood?

Daun Di Atas Bantal has sold over 30,000 tickets in the past three weeks, with cash-registers still ringing sweetly as it enters its fourth week of screening.

The success of the film has brought a glimmer of hope to the once mighty Indonesian film industry, which in the last few years has produced mainly mediocre, low budget sexploitation films.

With four more widescreen productions ready to hit cinemas -- Marselli Sumarno's directoral debut, Sri; actor Dede Yusuf's Reinkarnasi (Reincarnation); director Slamet Rahardjo's Telegram; and directors Mira Lesmana, Nan Triveni Achnas, Riri Reza and Rizal Mantovani's four-part Kuldesak (Cul-de-sac) -- and a possible shakeup of the theater business underway, many predict that spring is just around the corner for the national film industry.

The lower number of imported movies adds to this optimism.

But others point out that with no end to the economic crisis in sight, the current gush of success is nothing more than an Indian Summer.

There are two sides to the debate over why quality Indonesian films have not penetrated far into the local market.

Film makers and critics claim that the screening of movies in top class cinemas is monopolized by a conglomerate which favors foreign commercial box office films.

Increasing production costs have also stifled attempts to make quality movies in Indonesia.

On the other side, theater owners accuse local directors of being selfish in their productions and making movies which may be artistically potent but are commercially unattractive.

Monopoly

Film directors accuse theater owners of thinking solely of their profits and not considering the effect that screening only foreign films has on the national film industry.

Many critics have also claimed that the film industry has been paralyzed by the monopolies which pepper it. One such example is the monopoly held by the Subentra Group on the import, distribution and screening of films.

Film makers, however, may not be able to rely upon this excuse for much longer if the promised industry shakeup ever takes place.

Minister of Information Muhammad Yunus has given the green light for more open times and has vowed to scrap the monopoly on film imports.

Film director and observer Marseili Sumarno said that scrapping the monopoly alone may not be enough to kick start the local industry and suggested that film importing, distribution and theater ownership should be made into separate businesses.

But the problem may go beyond the monopoly itself.

Even if the monopolies possessed by Subentra and other groups are brought to an end, the interests of movie theater owners and film directors will continue to be at opposite ends of the lengthy debate on the relative importance of art and money.

The high cost of movie production has meant that it is now increasingly difficult for directors to get investors to put money into their films.

Producing one film today costs between Rp 1 billion and Rp 3 billion, up from an average of between Rp 300 million and Rp 400 million two years ago.

These high costs are expected to slash the number of wide- screen productions to a bare minimum this year from about 30 last year.

In 1991, 57 films were made, less than half of the 115 made the previous year. But 1992 was even worse with 31 movies, while only 24 films were made in 1993.

Thirty two films were made in 1994, but the figure dropped again in 1995 to only 27.

The cost of copying films has quintupled, excluding the post- production expenses of voice mixing and film printing, which must now be done abroad if a top quality finish is desired.

The adverse economic conditions have also hit local theater operators.

To buy local movies now costs Rp 13 million a copy, up from Rp 2.5 million before the crisis. Imported movies cost Rp 20 million each, up from Rp 8 million about this time last year.

"Moreover, we are still required to pay Rp 3.5 million for every eight copies that we import to support the development of Indonesian films. That is on top of import tax and a 20 percent provincial development tax," an executive from a top class theater chain said.

He added that theaters in Jakarta were still required to set aside one percent of ticket revenues for the city administration, which is supposed to pool the funds for the development of the national film industry.

The soaring cost of imported films has seen the number of films brought into the country drop from an average of 160 titles a year to a little over 70.

Many cinemas, particularly the smaller ones, have gone down under the economic pressure.

Of the 2,000 cinemas in the country at the start of this year, 857 had closed down by mid May.

"That is why movie theaters are fighting to get subsidies from the government. If our theaters do not receive subsidies, they will have nothing to survive on. We are very low on supply and copies (of films) are so expensive," Johan Tjasmadi, chairman of the Association of Movie Theater Owners (GPBSI) said.

In a rather sinister remark, director Garin Nugroho said that since the majority of movie theaters here were "culturally and economically" dependent on imported movies, they had it coming to them.

But theater owners argue that many outspoken local directors make films for their own sake, mostly for artistic reasons, without considering their commercial viability.

Over the last few years, a number of Indonesian films, such as the 1991 Langitku Rumahku (My Sky is My Home), have won accolades at film festivals abroad but have flopped commercially at home.

Johan called on directors to conduct market research before making films to ascertain if they were likely to be commercially viable, otherwise, he said, the national film industry would never revive.

Although it will be hard to return to the heady days of the 1970s and 1980s, when around 50 films were produced annually, at least the nation's film makers feel they are back on the road toward quality film making. (team)