Local Films Mushrooming

ARSIP REGAR WAKAJZEE

A film crew shoots a scene from \'Frekwensi Mood\' (The frequency of mood) in Jember, East Java. The film, produced by youths, has been screened independently since February.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – New filmmakers have been emerging over the last decade in a number of regions across the country, producing films with strong local identities such as in their use of regional languages and perspectives on local issues.

Indonesian Film Board (BPI) deputy chair Dewi Umaya said that the rising awareness of localized identities in film was an interesting phenomenon. “Today it’s becoming clear, filmmakers are more daring in showing that ‘I am from’ Java, Sumatra or Sulawesi. Their predecessors did not have this,” Dewi said on Monday (2/7/2018) in Jakarta.

Films with strong regional identities began emerging in the 2000s. They are generally created by regional filmmakers, use local tongues and stories, and are watched by regional audiences. Such films are commonly found in regions in Java, Sumatra and Sulawesi.

The North Sumatra Film Community’s data shows that film communities in the province have produced around 200 films in the last few years. Director Pontyanus Gea, for example, has made five films – all in the Batak language: Anak Sasada (2011), Amonghu Mardua Holong (2014), Tano Parsirangan (2015), Alani Hapogoson (2015) and Ilu Na Maruburan (2017).

Due to limited screening, the films were distributed on DVD and VCD as well as broadcast on television, reaching hundreds of thousands. Similarly, up to 220,000 copies of Pontyatus’s Nias-language film Onmo Sitefuyu (2009) were sold at a retail price of Rp 15,000 (US$1.04).

KOMPAS/ALOYSIUS BUDI KURNIAWAN

A woman looks at the screening schedule for Indonesian films on Friday evening (19/1/2018) during the Europalia Indonesia Film Festival in a cinema at Vendome, Brussels, Belgium. Fifty-three Indonesian films were screened at the festival.

A similar phenomenon is found in Aceh. In the past two years, the province has produced many films, including Ayah Doe’s Eumpang BNreuh Eps. Ka Meubreuh Lom (2016), Eko KTB’s Meudabel Cinta Eps. Sit Ka Meuri (2017), Nyak Saleh’s Kaya Meudadak Eps. Long Aneuk Muda (2017) and Fery DF’s Ka Meu Asoe Loen Eps. Khem Sabe (2017), all of which were distributed on DVD and VCD.

Ayah Doe’s films sold up 100,000 copies for Rp 20,000 each, with a total sales revenue of around Rp 2 billion.

In Makassar, local filmmakers and film enthusiasts have been nurturing their own film industry for the last three years. They have established dozens of production houses and film communities, promote their own local stars and have a loyal audience. The industry has produced dozens of feature-length films in the local Bugis-Makassar tongue with local filmmakers and actors.

Among them is the acclaimed Uang Panai’ (2016) by Halim Gani Safia and Asril Sani, which was screened nationwide through the Cinema 21 franchise. Film fans joined long lines at Makassar cinemas to watch the film, which tells of the hurdles young people in South Sulawesi, especially those from Bugis-Makassar families, face in getting married.

So far, Uang Panai’ is the most successful regional film in the Indonesian market. About 521,028 tickets to the film were sold. At a production cost of Rp 500 million, the film made around Rp 7 billion and was considered a huge success.

The film’s huge popularity has boosted the Makassar film industry, which then produced Silariang (Elope) that was also screened nationwide through Cinema 21, including in Jakarta.

KOMPAS/MEGANDIKA WICAKSONO

Villagers gather at the main field on Saturday evening (7/7/2018) for \'tanjleb\' or \'tancap\', the traditional outdoor film screening, during the Purbalingga Film Festival 2018 at Karanggedang village in Bukateja, Purbalingga. \'Tanjleb\' was held for an entire month in Purbalingga, Banjarnegara, Kebumen, Banyumas and Cilacap to take film to the villages.

The local film industry is also blooming in Purbalingga, Central Java. The small regency produces around 30 films a year. Like in other regions, local film communities are at the forefront of the Purbalingga film industry. These communities are where young, budding filmmakers train themselves. The Purbalingga Cinema Lovers Community (CLC), for instance, are active not only in Purbalingga but also in surrounding regions such as Banyumas, Cilacap, Kebumen and Banjarnegara.

Due to the limited number of movie theaters, the CLC holds layar tancap (open-air screenings) in villages and cities. “People in remote villages have the right to watch movies,” said CLC Purbalingga director Bowo Leksono.

The emergence of regional films should be a cause for joy, as it enriches the national perspective. It offers a good alternative to the “centralized” Indonesian perspective in urban centers.

The BPI and the National Creative Economy Agency (Bekraf) have established regional film commissions in response to the phenomenon. “Local film communities are spearheading the film industry. It is very important to support them. Regional administrations are becoming more serious about pushing for high-quality regional films,” said Dewi.

(ABK/DKA/HEI)