Sjumandjaja: A director and social critic

By Marselli Sumarno

JAKARTA (JP): Film director Sjumandjaja died on July 19, 1985 at the age of 51. His death took everybody by surprise as just a few days before he died, he was still active in directing his latest film, Opera Jakarta.

Sjuman -- that is how he was called -- left this world too soon. His talents enriched the Indonesian film industry with a certain level of quality. He was an important figure in our cinematography, his colleagues said at his funeral.

With the creation of 16 brilliant works, Sjuman proved to be the most important figure in cinematography during the New Order era. He may not have been the best, but he was the most important. Why? Because amid the numerous films which were lacking in quality ideas, Sjuman directed daring ones which put forward social themes, such as corruption (Si Mamad) or culture shock (Si Doel Anak Betawi, Doel the Betawi Kid).

To remember and commemorate Sjuman's social expressions through his films, a film week is being held in his honor. The event will take place at the Usmar Ismail film center, on Jl. HR. Rasuna Said, Kuningan, South Jakarta, from Oct. 23 to Oct. 28.

The organizers of the event require those interested in attending the festival to be members of the film center's Kine Klub. To apply for membership, registration will be attended to all day before the screening of the films. Membership for three years costs Rp 10,000, while membership cards (issued annually) cost Rp 5,000. For another Rp 10,000, members will be able to watch all films screened at each film festival held by the film center.

The film center organized the Teguh Karya film week last month and plans to screen Arifin C. Noor's films later this year.

Sjuman was born in a small town in Central Java and grew up in Jakarta, where he acquired his Betawi background. Sjuman was attracted to literature since childhood and he wrote many short stories, poems and essays. Entering adulthood in the 1950s, Sjuman worked at Studio Persari as a screenwriter.

In 1958, Sjuman earned a scholarship to All-Union State Institute of Cinematography, a film school in Russia. Established in 1919, it is the oldest film school in the world. Sjuman finished his studies by directing Bayangan (Shadows), based upon a novel by Erskine Caldwell. He graduated with a very high distinction and is one of seven and the only non-Russian to accomplish this achievement.

On his return from Russia, Sjuman became a bureaucrat in the Ministry of Information, but his carrier did not last long in that field. His debut as a film director was with Lewat Tengah Malam (After Midnight, 1972), a story about a bandit who robs from the corrupt rich and gives to the poor.

A year later he established a film company and directed Si Doel Anak Betawi. The film is based on a well-known children's short story. The main character of this film, who ends the film by singing along with his friends: Siapa bilang anak Betawi tak berbudaya... (Who says Betawi kids are not cultured), might portray Sjuman himself.

In 1976, another Sjuman film was released, titled Si Doel Anak Modern (Doel, the Modern Kid) and featuring comedian Benyamin S. in the main role, which is more comical and cynical.

Among Sjuman's works, there are certain things that can be recognized as typically Sjuman. Such as the slow pace, main characters' references to their childhood, unique camera angles that create certain effects, social themes and his fondness for making films based upon novels.

It is to be regretted that the Sjumandjaja Film Week will not be able to screen all his best creations, because a lot of the film is of bad condition and most are ruined. Yet Sjuman's touch is still obvious in the seven films to be screened.

Si Mamad is a story about an office worker, Mamad, who steals papers from his office when his wife is expecting their seventh child. He is later overcome with guilt and admits his crime to a superior, who is also dishonest. Si Mamad, a tragicomedy, won the Best Film Award in the 1994 Indonesian Film Festival Awards.

Yang Muda Yang Bercinta (Young Lovers), another of Sjuman's works, is focused around the life of a young man (a role played by poet W.S. Rendra), who expresses his identity through poetry which is full of protest. The main character's private life knows no responsibility, which is contradictory to his poems. The young rebel learns to face reality as he matures.

This film, even though it passed the censorship board in 1978, was banned from screening publicly in Jakarta because it was judged to have elements of propaganda and agitation which might adversely influence the younger generation. The film was finally allowed to be screened in the city in 1993.

However, Sjuman's social-themed films did not automatically sell well. His film company went bankrupt. Sjuman then orientated his talents to more commercial film productions, but did not forget his social themes.

This is reflected in Kabut Sutra Ungu (Purple Silk Mist, 1979), which is based upon a popular novel by Ike Soepomo. The story is about the struggle of a widow against the hardships of life. Jenny Rachman plays the main character. The movie hit the big screen.

In 1982, Sjuman directed a movie about Indonesian's emancipation heroine R.A. Kartini. The film portrays a more romantic perspective of the national heroine, with Jenny Rachman again as the star of the movie.

In 1984, Sjuman directed Kerikil-Kerikil Tajam (Sharp Pebbles). He focused on the flaws of society which is represented through the life of a woman (played by Christine Hakim) and her sister who try their luck in a big city. The melodramatic approach and Christine Hakim's popularity helped with ticket sales.

Sjuman's health deteriorated when he was directing Opera Jakarta. The film, based on a novel by Arswendo Atmowiloto, reveals the problems in the journey of love of a couple (played by Ray Sahetapy and Zoraya Perucha). The film, following the novel's many subplots, has a screening time of almost three hours. The film was completed by the rest of the production crew, including cameraman Soetomo Gandasoebrata and editor Noorman Benny.

The writer is a film observer and lecturer at the School of Film and TV at the Jakarta Arts Institute.