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BookWORM: Monty Tiwa, Catching a glimpse of life
Film director Monty Tiwa has had a busy year, releasing his new film Lamaran (The Proposal) in July
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ilm director Monty Tiwa has had a busy year, releasing his new film Lamaran (The Proposal) in July.
He also recently completed the production of 'Aku Ingin Ibu Pulang' (I Want Mother to Come Home) and a novel adaptation, 'Sabtu Bersama Bapak' (A Saturday with Father) ' both to be released next year. Monty is currently working on Raksasa dari Jogja (The Giant from Jogja), a drama adapted from a novel of the same title authored by Dwitasari.
The story revolves around Bianca (Karina Salim, What They Don't Talk About When They Talk About Love, Mantan Terindah (The Best Ex)), who is bitter about love and relationships until she meets Gabriel, a young man living with gigantism, while studying in Yogyakarta.
The character of Gabriel is played by basketballer cum actor Abrar Adrian.
An avid reader, Monty says that he reads fiction and non-fiction. 'I have allotted some funds to buying books but how much depends on how much I want them. If I find a book that catches my eye in the bookstore I usually purchase it instantly,' he said.
Born in Jakarta on Aug. 28, 1976, Monty is an award-winning screenwriter and film editor who is also known as a composer and producer. Reading books is now a luxury for him.
'I only read books during breaks, on the weekend or while on long trips out of town,' he said.
Monty said he is a fan of the Indonesian author Ahmad Tohari and American epic-fantasy author Robert Jordan, famous for his The Wheel of Time series.
'For currently active, young Indonesian writers I set my eyes on Adhitya Mulya. I like his books, such as Sabtu Bersama Bapak.
'Orang-orang Proyek'
by Ahmad Tohari (2003)
Project People in English, the novel is about a moral conflict experienced by a young and honest engineer working amid corruption, collusion and nepotism.
Reading the novel is like looking at a reflection of what has long been going on in our society and our country. Although it was written over a decade ago, the story is still relevant today.
'The Diary of a Young Girl'
by Anne Frank (1947)
Originally written in Dutch, this is a journal kept by Anne Frank while she was in hiding with her family for two years during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands.
It is a true story from the perspective of a teenager. What she wrote touches the reader in a powerful way, and for me, it is a reminder of the evil of bigotry and how abusive power is when used against the weak.
'Republic'
by Plato (c. 380 BC)
Published almost two-and-a-half millennia ago, the Socratic dialogue is Plato's best-known work and in it he discusses the definition of justice, in both philosophical and political terms.
I find the book impressive because I learn a lot about the social and political order of society from it.
' JP/Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak
