TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Support our art cinema!
With their creativity and idealism, our art cinema talents have changed the direction of our local film industry. But sadly, outside awards nights, their movies have yet to receive significant attention in the country.
Change Size
The cast and crew of 'Before, Now & Then (Nana)' pose for a picture together on the red carpet after winning the best feature-length film award at the 2022 Indonesian Film Festival (FFI). (Courtesy of FFI) (Courtesy of Festival Film Indonesia)
T
his year’s Indonesian Film Festival (FFI) marked another big win for the country’s art-house cinema. Seperti Dendam, Rindu Harus Dibayar Tuntas (Vengeance is Mine, All Others Pay Cash), directed by Edwin, brought home Best Director along with awards in four other categories. Kamila Andini’s Nana (Before, Now and Then) won in five categories, including Best Picture.
These films have become rightful boasting points for local film aficionados and the government. But to ensure more of them get made, it’s time to show a more tangible form of support. This could be in the form of greater numbers of people paying to see them or, from the government and sponsors, financial assistance in their production.
Art cinema is typically produced by independent filmmakers with a focus on originality and artistic complexity. Such films’ experimental approaches often mean they come at a lower budget. Unlike major studio productions, art-house filmmakers, like the creators of Seperti Dendam and Nana, don’t actively target mass markets.
Both movies were praised by critics at international film festivals prior to last week’s FFI. Seperti Dendam premiered at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland and represented Indonesia at the Toronto International Film Festival last year. Nana shone at the Berlin and
Brussels International Film Festivals, bringing home awards in the Best Supporting Performance and International Competition categories, respectively.
The success of Edwin and Kamila at this year’s FFI is evidence of a continuing breakthrough by our art cinema talent.
The FFI used to have only a seven-to-nine-member jury. In 2014, the FFI restructured its jury system, adopting a voting system similar to that of the Academy Awards that involved 100 people making selections in two rounds.
The FFI then started to expose a wider range of films produced by less established production houses and exploring a variety of themes. Internationally acclaimed art-house films began to win big at the festival, such as Joko Anwar’s A Copy of My Mind and Eddie Cahyono’s Siti in 2015.
Indonesia's world-class art cinema talents – from directors and actors to writers – have put the country’s movies on the global map, as shown by their positive critical reception and attention worldwide.
With their creativity and idealism, our art cinema talents have changed the direction of our local film industry. But sadly, outside awards nights, their movies have yet to receive significant attention in the country.
Despite Indonesia’s millions of prospective audience members, art films rarely get more than 100,000 viewers in the cinema. In comparison, films in mainstream genres like horror and romantic comedy can see 1 million ticket sales within days.
Art cinema is, of course, not designed for the box office, but it deserves to reach a larger audience nonetheless. Fortunately, some of these films have thrived on streaming platforms. Penyalin Cahaya (Photocopier), which enjoyed international acclaim prior to winning 12 Citra Awards in 2021, became a Netflix sensation, with over 6 million views worldwide within two weeks of its January 2022 release.
This is one reasons why our art cinema talents shoot for the stars on the global scale. Typically, their movies must win international festivals and attract worldwide audiences before gaining domestic recognition.
Indonesia has proven it has the spirit, talent and creativity to create world-class movies. It is time for us to give more support to our art films by offering them more exposure and more screening time in our cinemas.
It’s time to let Indonesia’s future filmmakers know that their original ideas will have the support of an eager and ready audience.
Your Opinion Matters
Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.
Thank you
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.
