What's on the Jakarta International Film Festival

JAKARTA (JP): The following are titles, screening venues, show times and a synopsis of the films to be screened on Saturday.

Cyclo, Senayan 21, 1 p.m. Directed by Tran Anh Hung, the award-winning 1995 Vietnamese film shows the city of Saigon today which is bound by crime, violence, weird sex and madness. Director Hung earlier made the highly acclaimed Scent of the Green Papaya.

Taxandria, Senayan 21, 3:55 p.m. Directed by Raoul Servais, the 1996 anime film tells the story of a prince who leaves his guardian to visit a nearby lighthouse. There he learns of a secret world where all machines, progress and time have been banned.

Surat Untuk Bidadari (Letter to an Angel), 1992, TIM 1, 4:55 p.m. Directed by Garin Nugroho, the film tells the story of a 10- year-old boy who must deal with the daily problems of his small village in Sumba, including a culture clash and violence.

Invitation to a Wedding, Usmar Ismail Film Center, 5 p.m. Directed by Curtis Levy, Australia/Indonesia. This is a documentary that captures the nature of Islam in Indonesia and chronicles the disasters which dogged the film's production. Includes a memorable interview with Abdurrahman Wahid back in 1995.

Hana Bi (Fireworks), Senayan 21, 5:30 p.m. Directed by Takeshi Kitano, 1997. After his wife dies and his partner is shot, police detective Nishi quits his job to put his violent life behind him only to find he gets caught up in bigger trouble.

Ratcatcher, Djakarta Theater, 5:30 p.m. Director: Lynne Ramsay, U.K., 1999. A bittersweet coming-of-age drama which tells the story of a 12-year-old boy who must deal with his dysfunctional family and a terrible secret of an accident in a local canal.

Petualangan Sherina, TIM 2, 5:35 p.m. Dir: Riri Riza, 2000. Child singer sensation Sherina stars as a youngster who reluctantly moves with her family to a plantation in West Java only to face criminals who kidnap her new friend. A huge box office success.

The Thin Blue Line, TIM 1, 7:05 p.m. Director: Errol Morris, U.S., 1988. This controversial, must-see documentary is credited with overturning the conviction of an alleged killer who was about to be executed. Hailed as one of the most important films of the decade.

Punitive Damage, Usmar Ismail Film Center, 7:15 p.m. Dir: Annie Goldson, New Zealand, 1999. A documentary about the mother of a 20-year-old New Zealand/Malaysian political activist who was murdered in an East Timor riot on Nov. 12, 1999. Contains shocking footage of the slaying.

Not One Less Djakarta Theater, 7:45. Director: Zhang Yimou, China, 1999. A 13-year-old girl becomes a substitute teacher in a rural area and tries hard not to lose her students. An interesting film from noted director Yimou, it is played by nonprofessionals.

Zhi Feng (Eating Air), Senayan 21, 7:45 p.m. Dir: Kelvin Tong Weng Kian & Jamine Ng Kin Kia, Singapore, 2000. A papergirl and a notorious truant get entangled in a romance during a hot summer in Singapore. A stylish film which tells its story with pictures more than dialog.

Nang Nak, TIM 2, 7:45 p.m. Director: Nonzee Nimibutr, Thailand, 1999. A ghost story based on an ancient legend set in the 19th-century countryside where a warrior returns home not knowing that his wife and son have died and turned into ghosts.

Aguire or The Wrath of God, TIM 1, 9:15, director: Werner Herzog, Germany, 1972. Considered prominent director Herzog's dramatic masterpiece, the film tells the story of a Conradian journey into the heart of darkness, which is said to have heavily influenced Coppola's Apocalypse Now.

Under Suspicion, Usmar Ismail Film Center, 9:30 p.m. Director: Stephen Hopkins, U.S., 1999. A police inspector on a small Carribean island calls in for questioning a U.S. criminal attorney who is a witness to the rape and murder of two young girls.

Long Night Journey into the Day, TIM 2, 9:45 p.m. Director: Frances Reid and Deborah Hoffman, South Africa-USA, 1999. An award-winning documentary that revolves around the efforts of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa to heal the country's wounds after the collapse of the apartheid policy.

High Fidelity, Djakarta Theater, 10 p.m. Director: Stephen Frears, USA, 2000. A highly praised romantic comedy tells the story of an owner of a nonsuccessful record store and a music junkie dealing with adulthood. Features another great performance by John Cusack. (jaw)