(JP/Indah Setiawati)The former editor of Indonesia’s now-defunct Playboy magazine, Erwin Arnada, directed Rumah di Seribu Ombak (House at a Thousand Waves), a film on poverty and pluralism adapted from the novel he wrote while serving out his prison sentence.

Erwin’s hard work has paid off. The movie secured four Citra Awards — for best script, picture and sound editing and a special award for young actor — at the 2012 Indonesian Film Festival.

These writings have inspired Erwin in various ways.

The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy

In my opinion, this book is cooler than Tolstoy’s other books such as War and Peace or Anna Karenina. In this book, the big Russian author talks about death as “a new reality”.

Using the characters in the book, he concludes that an uneventful life would be worse than death. Life prepares us to enter a new reality called death. The process to enter that reality can be more beautiful than life itself. This novel portrays a beautiful death.

Tolstoy’s concept about death has influenced me in writing the novel and making the film Rumah di Seribu Ombak.

Si Jamal by Mochtar Lubis

This book teaches me about family virtue, the root of culture and tradition. It also provides an understanding of anthropological values. It encourages me to use cultural and semiotic aspects in my writing and films.

The story of Si Jamal also taught me the character-driven concepts that I use in my writing style.

The work of Goenawan Mohamad

I love all of his work. His writing style has given me a new perspective, especially when I wrote journalistic articles. His essays also bring me to explore the world and have a wider view on the universality of life.

Goenawan Mohamad’s Catatan Pinggir (Sidelines) column in Tempo magazine, which I have read for 25 years, has also been a big influence.

— Indah Setiawati

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