F

ilmmaker Nia Dinata saw it coming. There was no outlet near her home for her short film Kebaya Pengantin (The Bride'€™s Blouse).

The 12-minute film told a story about a transgender seamstress named Sandy (Atiqah Hasiholan) who was in a romantic relationship with tailor Farid (Lukman Sardi). They prepared a wedding and took a trip together to Farid'€™s hometown, where his bride-to-be awaits.

Nia directed the short movie as part of an anthology screened last March at a festival for women'€™s advocacy in Malaysia.

The film, produced by Malaysian director Lee Su May, was finally screened at Rumah Film Indonesia (Indonesia Cinema House) '€” Auditorium 6 of blitzmegaplex cinema at Pacific Place, South Jakarta, which is dedicated to Indonesian shorts, documentaries and special screenings for film festivals.

When it was launched on Jan. 30, Rumah Film Indonesia entered the Indonesia Museum of Records (MURI) for the unique services it offered, said the founder Jaya Suprana.

'€œIt'€™s been a year and I know no theater operator would screen it. I hope the presence of Rumah Film Indonesia would encourage creative people to keep up with their work,'€ Nia said.

Nia also brought along a 40-minute documentary she produced on the most recent presidential election to be screened at Rumah Film. Titled Nyalon, the film was a brilliant illustration of word play; the title has two meanings in colloquial Indonesian, getting your hair done and running for office.

Directed by Yogyakarta-based Ima Puspita Sari, the documentary recorded the daily lives of couple Kardi and Dini at their home and in their small hair salon in Wates, Central Java.

In conversational style, the apolitical villagers talked about their thoughts on the candidates and the political parties; the reason they cast their votes and about monetary politics.

Currently, cinemas '€” which have become a part of the movie industry conglomeration '€” focus on feature-length Hollywood blockbusters and popular Indonesian movies, while independent productions, including student films, have limited screening times during festivals.

Culture and Elementary and Secondary Education Minister Anies Baswedan said that the existence of Rumah Film sent a message to businesses on the need to throw their weight behind the Indonesian creative industry.

'€œWhen it comes to our local creative industry, it'€™s not supposed to be '€˜up to market'€™. It'€™s all about choices and commitment. Businesses are not supposed to stay neutral in a situation where our own creative people are struggling to survive.'€

Blitzmegaplex director Bernard Kent Sondakh said Rumah Film was part of the company'€™s corporation social responsibility program, Blitz Arthouse.

'€œThe purpose of our establishment is to support the Indonesian movie industry and therefore provide an outlet for our filmmakers who haven'€™t got the chance to have their works screened publicly.

'€œPublic appreciation will make the Indonesian film industry the master in its own household,'€ he said, adding that Rumah Film would soon come to Yogyakarta and Bandung.

Inspired by overseas theaters that dedicated auditoriums to certain film genres, Rumah Film, which can seat 128 people, will host Cinema Talk, a discussion between filmmakers and movie buffs.

The theater operator was established in 2007 in Jakarta, offering an alternative scene by screening festival and indie films.

It also has been hosting Toto'€™s Film Making Class for teenagers in cooperation with the country'€™s young filmmakers since 2013.