Indonesian Delegate at Berlinale International Film Festival, 33 Years Ago

”We have come to Berlin International Film Festival to put Indonesia on the international cinema map” stated Rosihan Anwar, in a press conference held in Berlinale Film Festival, February, 1982. He was there with actress Christine Hakim, director Slamet Djarot and Edward Pesta Sirait, and T Djohardin from Ministry of Information. The moderator was Eichenberer, a Swiss reporter. On the trade section, actress Debby Cynthia Dewi dressed in traditional Balinese clothing, promoting the films. Gope Samtani, Raam Punjabi, and L.J.N. Hoffman themselves took turns manning the stand and talking to prospective buyers. Although the 3 films were rejected in competition, but they sold 7 films for global circulation, including Ratu Ilmu Hitam and Primitif. And according to INP (West Germany news agency) and The Indonesian Observer (2 April 1982), this exhibition of "Indonesian Film Panorama" was one of the major highlights of the Berlinale that year. It looks like, related to the recent problems, the Indonesian delegate 33 years ago is somehow better than today's so-called Reformasi and Jokowi era. CMIIW.‪#‎jasmerah‬ ‪#‎tanyakenapa‬ ‪#‎prokjatabprosar‬

2014: Wafatnya Arizal dan Liliek Sudjio

Tahun 2014 adalah tahun wafatnya Arizal dan Liliek Sudjio. Keduanya adalah sutradara yang acap dipandang sebelah mata baik oleh pembuat kebijakan, banyak kritikus dan jurnalis film, dan sebagian penonton film kelas atas. Tapi, film-film mereka selalu laris manis disemuti penonton--baik di bioskop apalagi di Layar Tancap di berbagai pelosok. Bagi saya, mereka (bersama sutradara lainnya yang juga sering tak dianggap, seperti Sisworo Gautama Putra, Tjut Djalil, Imam Tantowi, Jopi Burnama, Ackyl Anwari, dan Danu Umbara) punya signifikansinya dan keunikannya tersendiri dalam sejarah film Indonesia--apalagi kalau dipandang dari perspektif ekonomi budaya, Politik Selera, politik kebudayaan, kajian kebijakan, kajian penonton dan penggemar. Semoga saya punya cukup energi untuk menyelesaikan tesis doktoral saya soal (pentingnya) karya-karya mereka, dan menerbtikannya dalam buku, dan lalu menerbitkan versi Bahasa Indonesianya di tanah air.

Kumpulan Diskusi saya tentang alm Arizal di Twitter (18 Mei)

http://findingjakasembung.blogspot.co.uk/…/selamat-jalan-ar…

Obituari pendek alm Lilik Sudjio (9 Desember):
http://findingjakasembung.blogspot.co.uk/…/rip-lilik-sudjio…

Jonathan Rosenbaum and Sisworo Gautama Putra's Sangkuriang (1982)

In 1991, film critic Jonathan Rosenbaum watched Sisworo Gautama Putra's Sangkuriang (1982). And Apparently he was impressed with this exploitation film.

He wrote 2 articles related to the film:

First, a short review: 

This lively and enjoyable Indonesian feature (1982) in ‘Scope, directed by Gautana Sisworo Putra from a screenplay by Ignatius Sukardjasman, is based on an ancient Sunda legend with oedipal overtones; the hero accidentally kills his father (although sometime after the latter has been turned into a dog) and almost marries his mother. It’s full of enchantment, alternately campy and exhilarating in its employment of fantasy and magic (with some beautifully choreographed martial arts that include Superman-like flights), but unfortunately it’s been censored somewhat for stateside consumption. (Facets Multimedia Center, 1517 W. Fullerton, Monday, June 10, 7:00, 281-4114)

And the second one, he puts this corny film in his 1991 non-Hollywood worth-seeing films: 

Other movies of the year that are eminently worth seeing (excluding the American titles already listed) are The Architecture of Doom, Ay, Carmela!, Billy Bathgate, The Comedy of Money (a resurrected Dutch feature by Max Ophuls), The Double Life of Veronique, The Garden, The Interrogation, Larks on a String, Life Is Sweet, Little Man Tate,The Match Factory Girl, My Father’s Glory, Night and Day (Chantal Akerman’s latest, shown at the Chicago International Film Festival),Open Doors, Palombella Rossa, Privilege, Sangkuriang (an Indonesian feature made in 1982), See You Later (a Michael Snow short), Slacker, Strand: Under the Dark Cloth, Swan Lake–The Zone, and 1000 Pieces of Gold.

As far as i know, Sangkuriang has never been exported overseas. So, I guess Rosenbaum watched it in a movie theater or film festival (he mentioned 'Scope). CMIIW.

Hereby i attach the full version of the film, but unfortunately no English subtitles.

Some changes for my MECCSA Presentation

Dear all,
I apologize that I have to change the angle of my presentation. The topic is the same (on Layar Tancap, or Mobile Cinema). Here's the new abstract:

See you in Newcastle, 7-9 January!
Full schedule: http://meccsa2015.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/MeCCSA2015_draft_programme.pdf

The Significance of Layar Tancap:

 Film Policies and   Mobile Cinema Shows in Indonesia’s New Order Era (1974-1993)

Indonesia’s New Order Government (1966-1998)   is notorious with its state-control of every aspect of life.  In the film industry, the government applied sharp censorship and controlled film production by controlling the script and film bodies as well as distribution and exhibition.  (Sen 1992; Heider 1991, Jufry 1992, Said 1991).
How did New Order and its policies value and deal with the subculture of Layar Tancap (open air cinema) or bioskop keliling (mobile cinema shows)? According to Katinka van Heeren, Layar Tancap shows were out of New Order’s radar until 1993 (van Heeren 2012, 33), the year  the government finally acknowledged and formalized Perfiki (Persatuan Perusahaan Pertunjukan Film Keliling Indonesia, or the Union of Indonesian Mobile Cinema Show)

According to van Heeren and Krishna Sen, although its spectatorship is important to note, but no   specific official policies was applied ; and no   data was collected by The Indonesian Statistical Bureau, for this open air cinema (Sen 1994). The Indonesian Statistical Bureau (PBS, Pusat Biro Statistik) only covered numbers from ordinary cinemas  in the  big cities  (Sen 1994, 72).
By observing New Order’s film policies as well as general and trade magazines, I will investigate van Heeren’s claims above.  I will argue the opposite: Suharto’s government tried to frame this kind of distribution and exhibition cultures, long before 1993, precisely because the villagers were one of their important assets considering that they were the majority of Indonesian citizens.  I will also focus on how the practice and consumption of Layar Tancap and policies of New Order government interact, negotiate, and influence each other.

CFP: GLOBAL EXPLOITATION CINEMAS: HISTORICAL AND CRITICAL APPROACHES

FYI,

email from Johnny Walker:

I am so excited! 

Dear colleagues,

With apologies for cross-posting, please find below the CFP for “Global Exploitation Cinemas: Historical and Critical Approaches”, an academic conference and film event organised by the University of Lincoln (UK) in association with the forthcoming Bloomsbury book series of the same name.

The event will take place 28 and 29 May 2015 at the historic Ritz Cinema and Theatre.

University of Lincoln presents …

GLOBAL EXPLOITATION CINEMAS:

HISTORICAL AND CRITICAL APPROACHES

An academic conference and film event

The Ritz Cinema and Theatre, Lincoln (UK), 28 and 29 May 2015

CONFIRMED KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:

Eric Schaefer (Emerson College, US) author of Bold! Daring! Shocking! True! A History of Exploitation Films, 1919-1959 (Duke University Press, 1999)

and editor of Sex Scene: Media and the Sexual Revolution (Duke University Press, 2014)
I. Q. Hunter (De Montfort University, UK)author of British Trash Cinema (BFI, 2012) and Cult Film as a Guide to Life (Bloomsbury, 2015).

The academy’s approach to film history has undergone a significant shift in the 21st century, with previously marginalised, despised and neglected aspects of popular film being afforded unprecedented levels of attention. This process of revaluation has occurred on a global scale, highlighting the development of rich and relatively uncharted alternative film cultures and histories, including those of "exploitation" films, and in turn enabling fresh empirical and critical methodologies.

The academic conference and film event "Global Exploitation Cinemas"—which is being funded by the University of Lincoln (UK) and is working in conjunction with the forthcoming Bloomsbury book series of the same name—aims to bring together an eclectic and diverse range of approaches to exploitation cinema, welcoming any perspective that adds to the burgeoning scholarship in this field of study. Proposals which emphasise the international dimensions of exploitation cinema are especially welcome, but the conference will remain broad and inclusive in considering topics for discussion.

Potential subjects and approaches include, but are by no means limited to:

• Critical reception and/or re-assessment
• Socio-historical dimensions and debates
• Form and aesthetics
• Global and transnational perspectives
• Sexploitation
• The pornographic feature film
• Media controversies and censorship
• Publicity and advertising
• Stardom
• Directors, writers and producers
• Movements, cycles and sub-genres
• Exhibition and distribution
• Geographies
• Restoration and re-appropriation
• Exploitation in the video age
• Nostalgia
• Publishing
• "Mainstream" infiltrations
• DVD documentaries/special features
• Festivals and conventions
• Ephemera and the collector
• The internet and participatory cultures
• Neo-exploitation in the 21st century

Abstracts (of around 300 words) and some brief biographical information (of around 50 words) should be sent no later than FRIDAY 27 FEBRUARY 2015 to the following email address: exploitationcinemaconference@gmail.com.

For more information about the event (and the book series) go to: http://globalexploitationcinemas.weebly.com. 

We look forward to receiving your abstracts!

Best wishes,

The organisers:

Shaun Kimber (Bournemouth University)
Neil Jackson (University of Lincoln)
Johnny Walker (Northumbria University)
Thomas Joseph Watson (Northumbria University)

***

Dr Johnny Walker

Lecturer in Media, Northumbria University, Squires 101d

Tel. (+ 44) 191 227 3920

Founding co-editor of Global Exploitation Cinemas

Web. http://johnny-walker.org

Let's Help "Lady Terminator" Family!

A sad message from Barbara Constable ( "Lady Terminator"):


Hi everyone,

This is Barbara Constable, Amber and Sebastiens Mother.  I have set this fund up to help our little family recover from what has truly been a very difficult year for us.

As I write this, we have have been in our new rental for 7 days, after havingmoved twice in 2.5 weeks.  (I will explain this shortly)  We initially had to move from our previous address, as I could no longer afford the rent on my own, due to the ill health of my daughter, and myself not being able to workdue to having to care for her.   My daughter Amber was diagnosed withAdolescent Social Anxiety Disorder and Depression in April of 2014, after refusing High School for many months.   To counteract the loss of income from not being able to work, I set up a small massage business from home, which I am currently unable to operate until I get this new house set up, and rename the business and website.   I finally received the Carer's Pension to care for my daughter in August of 2014.     

The house that we are now renting was unfortunately not available to move into when we had to leave our previous premises on 13th November 2014. Therefore we had to move all our major furniture under my Mother's rental flat, and send the rest of the electrical's and boxes to another family member's house.  My son and myself lived in my Mothers back shed for 2.5 weeks, and my daugthter stayed with my sister Jasmine, until were able to move into this house 7 days ago.  Moving twice in 2.5 weeks has wiped out any funds that I had in the bank.  Being a Single Parent is tuff enough, without having to move twice.  

During the stay in my Mother's shed, my son and I weathered two of the biggest storms that Brisbane has seen of recent years.  We were very lucky that most of our stuff was not damaged, but some major electricals were damaged in the storms.  We are in need of a Fridge, a dryer, and a washing machine.  Also, the house we have moved into has absolutely no cupboards to hang clothes in, or cupboard space for linen and storage. Therefore we need to aquire 3 cupboards.

Christmas is looming,  and without any funds left, and not enough income coming in, I am in need of funds to cover bills I cannot afford to pay, until I can find some part time work.  

Hoping the community can assist our little family recover with some financial assistance, so that we can have a less stressful 2015.  

Barb xxxxxx

How to donate: visit: http://www.gofundme.com/ir36dc

RIP Lilik sudjio, the director of "Queen of Black Magic"

I just read from El –Badrun’s Facebook status, that #liliksudjio just passed away today  (9 dec), at 07.30, in Jakarta.

Liliek Sudjio  was the first director who received Citra awards in the 1^st Festival Film Indonesia. He outdid Usmar Ismail, “the father of Indonesian cinema”.  He directed Ratu Ilmu Hitam (Queen of The Black Magic, 1979), one of the earliest exploitation films exported overseas in the early 1980s and recirculated in the 2000s.

But Liliek’s works are beyond that. He directed several superhero movies such as GundalaPutra Petir (Indonesia's Flash)  and Darna Ajaib (Indonesia's Wonder Woman). He also directed comedy starring the icons of  the 1980s namely Gepeng and Benyamin Sueb.

In 1968, he was one of the chosen director that has been selected by Dewan Film Nasional (National Film Council) to produce a film related to the project of “searching of Indonesian faces on screen”. Instead of making art-house films, like other directors, he chose to make genre film, Djampang Mentjari Naga Hitam (Djampang Searches for the Black Dragon).

a review on Queen of Black Magic in DVD Drive-In http://www.dvddrive-in.com/reviews/n-s/queenofblackmagic79.htm

a review on Queen of Black Magic (Oh The Horror) http://www.oh-the-horror.com/page.php?id=319  
A review on Queen of Black Magic (Fright) (http://www.fright.com/edge/QueenOfBlackMagic.htm)