JP/Ricky Yudhistira

JAKARTA: Young American screenwriter-director Conor Allyn is excited about Thursday’s premiere of Darah Garuda (Blood of Eagles), the second in the Merah Putih movie trilogy about Indonesia’s fight for independence.

He said he got over his initial nerves after a successful media screening last week, and he is looking forward to the reaction from the film community tonight.

But the 24-year-old Texan added he was still waiting for the views of the most important film-goers of all.

“I’m most excited of all about Sept. 8 when the film will be in general release. It’s the people who pay to come see it that we need to impress,” he told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

Allyn said his growing understanding of Indonesia, after living in the country for several years and traveling to different regions to shoot the movies, showed in Darah Garuda.

“I feel a lot closer to the country and to the story that we’ve told,” he said. “When I first moved here, I did research, but essentially I only spent a few weeks here. I feel I’ve grown a lot as a writer and director and as a person.

“I feel more attuned to Indonesia, and I think that made the movie better.”

The final part of the trilogy will be released in mid-2011. – JP

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