Courtesy of Puskat PicturesSenior director Garin Nugroho has again appeared with his new movie, Soegija, a biopic of national hero Albertus Magnus Soegijapranata SJ, the first Indonesian native bishop.

Involving 2,275 actors and costing Rp12 billion (US$1.3 million), the the most expensive film in Garin’s career is set to be shown in movie houses on June 7.

Soegija was a natural choice for the films focus, as national figure who struggled through his silent diplomacy in Semarang, Central Java for the nation’s sovereignty. As a bishop, he was very close to members of his congregation, and was a good friend of and adviser to president Sukarno. “In their respective positions, they served as the mouthpiece of Indonesian people,” said Father Mudji Sutrisno, moments before a media gathering on Soegija in Jakarta, recently.

Soegija’s flair for diplomacy enabled ...