Film festival to reveal new Chaplin footage

Trisha Sertori ,  Contributor ,  Gianyar   |  Sun, 10/19/2008 1:34 PM  |  Bali

Bali will become the focus of the world once again when the 10-day Balinale International Film Festival 2008 kicks off with a red carpet ceremony at Galeria 21 in Kuta next Tuesday.

The festival, which is being hosted by the Bali Taksu Indonesia Foundation, will exhibit more than 50 films from around the world, including some of Indonesia's finest and a series of free film-making and photo-journalism workshops.

According to festival director Deborah Gabinetti, Balinale will promote cultural variety via film.

"I think it (film) inspires people and opens up the world to them, especially young people.We are hoping young people will be inspired,"Gabinetti said.

"That's why we are also hosting workshops; so they can see what can be achieved through film.

"Some of the films are deeply inspiring and challenging. They can widen people's understanding of the many ways of living."

This year's festival will tour Kuta, Seminyak, Denpasar and Ubud, Gabinetti said, adding that a traveling film festival could potentially reach more people.

"We wanted to spread it (the festival) out so more people get to seesaid.

The Balinale will exhibit many extraordinary films across a range of genres, from feature films to documentaries.

This year's program includes never-before-seen footage of acclaimed comedian Charlie Chaplin, and promises to be one of the highlights of the film festival.

The Chaplin footage reveals the silent screen star's trip to Bali in 1932. The rare film shows the actor hamming it up with local Balinese and painter Walter Spies, festival organizer Sarita Newsom said.

"It is a great delight and privilege to have the Chaplin film. It is wonderful to see Bali as it was in those days; the way people dressed and their unselfconscious behavior.

"Charlie was surrounded by adults and kids everywhere he went. His humor is universal,"Newsom said, adding that the Chaplin piece would be presented by Kate Guyonvarch of the Chaplin Association.

The festival will also feature the Chaplin classic comedy The Gold Rush and a documentary about the star.

The festival will also feature a number of groundbreaking films, including Son of a Lion, the first film by Australian film maker Benjamin Gilmous. The movie documents Gilmous' journey into the remote north west of Pakistan.

The film offers a very different and compassionate view of the life of a gun maker.

Other highlights include Garin Nugroho's Opera Jawa and a film chronicling the deeds of Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai of Africa called Taking Root, which centers on Kenya's green belt movement.

The free open workshops include an introduction to photo-journalism with Syamsul Hadi and a film production workshop hosted by New Zealand film producer Catherine Madigan and Australian film maker Richard Todd.

Student films produced in a workshop held in conjunction with the 2008 Ubud Writers and Readers Festival will also be screened during Balinale, Newsom said.

"We had students from eight local high schools work with Balinese film maker Ananta Wijaya. This gave the students some understanding of the film making process, from scripting through to editing,"Newsom said.

"We were very fortunate to have the support of Jungle Run Productions and Bali Spirit, which allowed the students to work in their production houses.

"For the kids to have access to a film maker of the caliber of Ananta and to see real film production houses at work was fantastic."

For more information
and ticketing visit
www.balinale.com or call
081 835 0145.

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