Desy Nurhayati, The Jakarta Post, Ubud | National | Fri, October 23 2009, 12:11 PM
The Monkey Forest sanctuary in Padangtegal, Ubud, will remain open to the public on Nov. 3, despite the site having been booked as a location for a scene in Julia Roberts' new movie, Eat, Pray, Love.
The production, which has been shooting in several locations around Bali since last Thursday, has organized for the closure of several public sites - including Ubud traditional market and Padang-Padang beach in Jimbaran - for filming purposes.
The Monkey Forest management had been informed about the shoot, and had proposed several requirements for the film crew, a worker at the Monkey Forest information desk, Gede Gunartha, said Wednesday.
"We want this place to stay open to the public as usual, because we have arranged with many travel agencies to receive their clients here. It would be impossible for us to cancel these arrangements just for a one-day shoot," he said.
"The shoot should not obstruct visitors from getting around the forest, because it's a public place," Gunartha said.
"We also request *the production* uphold the sanctity of this place," he added.
The Monkey Forest is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Ubud. It receives around 10,000 visitors per month, according to the site's management, the Wenara Wana Foundation.
The 11-hectare park, representing a sacred Balinese Hindu site, is inhabited by 340 Balinese long-tailed macaques and 80 species of trees, and boasts rich biodiversity.
At present, the film - based on a spiritually themed novel by American journalist Elizabeth Gilbert -is being shot at Padang-Padang beach, forcing local officials to close off the beach to the public until next Tuesday.
On Tuesday, the shoot received mixed reactions from sellers at Ubud market, who faced a drop in revenue because of restricted access to the market that day.
Some sellers said despite earning less that day they had a once-in-a-lifetime experience seeing an Oscar-winning actress in the flesh. Others had taken part in the shoot and were paid Rp 200,000 (about US$20) each.
"There were not many customers because all access to the market was closed," said handbag seller Made Karmini.
"I couldn't see the filming either, it was heavily safeguarded by the crew's security and pecalang *traditional security guards*," she said.
The shoot took place from the morning until around 5 p.m., featuring Roberts walking around, shopping and entering the Melanting Temple at the market.
"It was exciting to see an international movie being shot here, although I didn't take part," said fruit seller Sukawati.
"I earned less, but that's OK for the sake of public interests. I think Ubud will become more famous, and that will be good for us in the long run."
Accessory seller Gusti Nyoman said she was happy to have been part of the production as a walk-on actress, and that she had been paid, despite not receiving any customers that day.
It was not just sellers who felt the impact of the shoot, but also several buyers who were unable to get into the market, including locals looking for items for the Kuningan celebrations on Saturday.
"I needed to buy ornaments for Kuningan, but I couldn't get in," said Ketut Suwiti, who lives in Padangtegal, Ubud.
Gusti Ngurah, a parking attendant at the market, complained he had earned nothing that day because vehicles had not been allowed to park in front of the market.
Officials should have told him about the filming several days ago, he said.
Last week, villagers in Banjar Bentuyung launched a protest about the shoot, but local officials had managed to reconcile them, claiming there had been a miscommunication.
