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Nicholas Saputra to portray half-human, half-bird creature in upcoming film
The actor portrays Belian, a half-human half-bird creature in the Malaysian-Indonesian co-produced film.
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Nicholas Saputra (second left) with Fauzan Zidni of Cinesurya production company (left), 'Interchange' director Dain Iskandar Said (second right) and Nandita Solomon of Apparat production house speak at a press conference at CGV Blitz Grand Indonesia, Central Jakarta, on Feb. 23. (JP/Masajeng Rahmiasri)
N
icholas Saputra has become well-known for his lead role in the romantic movie Ada Apa Dengan Cinta (What’s up with Cinta?) and his portrayal of activist Soe Hok Gie in Gie (2005). But now, fans will get to see another side of him as he plays a unique part in Interchange (2016).
The actor portrays Belian, a half-human half-bird creature in the Malaysian-Indonesian co-produced film. Despite taking on a fantasy role, Nicholas was given the opportunity to play a supporting character integral to the story. Nandita Solomon, producer of the Apparat Malaysian production house said the decision to cast Nicholas was made because the team was sure he would be able to gravitate toward the mystique of Belian’s character.
Read also: Nicholas Saputra stars in EU documentary on elephant conservation
Nicholas said he first felt a connection to the film when he saw the helmeted hornbill, a species of bird found in Sumatra, Borneo and other parts of Malaysia, which now was critically endangered. He said he often saw other types of the bird, which he described as majestic when he would travel to North Sumatra.
“I often see this bird, I really like the bird and that’s how I first felt a connection with the film,” he said.
Nicholas also agreed to take on the role because he was a fan of director Dain Iskandar Said’s past work, Bunohan: Return to Murder (2011), and also due to the fact that he had never taken part in a Malaysian-Indonesian production before either.
“Through this film, we want to show that actually, we [Indonesia and Malaysia] share so many similar elements,” Nicholas said, referring to shared culture, stories and values.
Interchange centers on a fictional story about a tribe in Borneo. Previously, the film had screened at various festivals, including the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland and Toronto International Film Festival. The film will premiere in Indonesian theaters on March 2. (asw)
