“There is no dichotomy between art films and commercial films”, prominent Indonesian producer Mira Lesmana once told me in an interview. “There are only good films and bad films”, she continued. On the other hand, from the very beginning of film industry in Indonesia, the practices and polarization of idealistic filmmakers and commercial filmmakers become stronger and deeper. Discussions on the struggle between both groups seem to occur again and again, and I believe it still happens recently. Can both parties negotiate and unite? SELENGKAPNYA »

Cinema was introduced for the first time to the public of Dutch East Indies (the name of colonized Indonesia) on 5 th December 1900. It started with a commercial announcement from Nederlandsche Bioskop Maatschappij, on Bintang Betawi daily, stating that there would be a great spectacle, which was “gambar idoep” (moving image) about events in Europe and South Africa from some documentary scenes, including when Netherlands’ Queen with His Majesty Hertog Hendrik entered Den Haag[2]. The show took place in a house next to an automotive shop called Maatschappij Fuchs in Tanah Abang, Batavia (Jakarta, at that time). The man behind this show was T.D. Tio Jr. (Said 1991: 16). SELENGKAPNYA »

During the Japanese occupation era (1942-1945), films were put under the control of Sendenbu (Propaganda Department), an independent department set up within the military government (Kurasawa 1991: 37)[7]. The Sendenbu also directly executed propaganda operations and founded another organization named Keimin Bunka Shidosho or Poesat Keboedajaan (Popular Education and Cultural Direction Center) in April 1943 (Kurasawa 1991: 37). One of its jobs was to educate and train Indonesian artists (Kurasawa 1991: 38). This was an important organization because for the first time, some Indonesian artists and intellectuals gathered in one organization, including writer Sanusi Pane, musician Simanjuntak, musician Raden Koesbini (Kurawasa 1991: 41) and playwright Usmar Ismail and Djadug Djajakusuma (Kurasawa 1991: 55). SELENGKAPNYA »

Post-Independence Day

The most important event for Indonesia is the proclamation of independence on a Friday morning, 17 th August 1945. Dutch literary historian Teeuw states that in the first years of independence, large numbers of young intellectuals were drawn to film.

Rivai Apin, Asrul Sani, Siti Nuraini, Sitor Situmorang, Trisno Sumarjo, and many others were fascinated by this new medium, which promised so much—especially in a land where for the man of letters contact with the (not yet) reading public proved to be such a great problem (quoted in Sen 1994: 19). SELENGKAPNYA »

Usmar Ismail entitled his article concerning the political conflicts in 1960s Sejarah Hitam Perfilman Nasional (The Dark History of National Cinema) (Ismail 1986: 91-97).

In the last years of 1950s, Lembaga Kebudayaan Rakyat (Lekra, The Institute for People’s Culture) and Serikat Buruh Film dan Sandiwara (Sarbufis, the Film and Stage Workers Union), the leftist cultural and art organizations under PKI, continually attacked Ismail, Malik, Sani, and other SELENGKAPNYA »

The New Order Regime began right after the G30S event, the extermination of PKI members and followers, and the fall of President Soekarno. Soeharto became president, and the army dominated the political sphere (Sen 1994: 48). SELENGKAPNYA »