Be prepared for the largest Indonesian Film Festival in Australia this year!
The 5th Indonesian Film Festival will bring you the authentic Indonesian cinematic treats. 2010 is the year, which the Festival has dedicated for women. This year, you will get the chance to experience the evolution and revolution, development and degradation, journey and struggles of the women of Indonesia from the early decades to the contemporary dates. Through the films, your eyes will see the Oriental beauty and their struggles as the second-class citizens in a country that upholds highly the patriarchal value.
Opening this year’s festival is 7 Hearts, 7 Loves, 7 Women” (7 Hati, 7 Cinta, 7 Wanita) directed by Robby Ertanto Soediskam. Yours will be the very first eyes to watch, as it is the film world’s premiere. 7 Hearts, 7 Loves, 7 Women” narrates the life of Kartini, a doctor who tries to bury her past and her failures in many previous relationships. With all the bad romance of the past, Kartini has grown a skepticism of love inside her and she frequently questions the importance of marriage. Robby Soediskam (director) Jajang C. Noer, Marcela Zalianty, Happy Salma, Hengky Solaiman, and Verdi Solaiman are scheduled to attend the premiere.
Closing the festival, “Under the tree” (Di Bawah Pohon) will amaze you with the traditional and mysterious Balinese culture. Directed and produced by Garin Nugroho, this film tells the journey of three women: Maharani, Tian and Darma. Each is struggling with their own individual predicament, as they make their journey to visit the sacred island of Bali in order to find the meaning of peace through the unexpected experience of magical realism.
There are 8 more films that will incite your curiosity of Indonesia, and at the same time fulfill your hunger of quality Indonesian cinematography and film-making. “My Dearest” (Demi Dewi) shows the fight of Adara, a young mother, in saving her only daughter, Dewi, who was kidnapped by a mysterious stranger. As the plot thickens, the mystery unfolds. The Festival screening of ‘My Dearest’ will also be attended with the film’s main actress, Wulan Guritno and director, Charles Gozali. They will be more than happy to answer any question that might come to you as you watch the film. Another not-to-be-missed is the Australian Premiere of “At the bottom of everything” (Di Dasar Segalanya). This groundbreaking experimental piece of drama takes us in an intimate journey within the troubled mind of a young woman who struggles constantly through her life against her mental illness. The Director, Paul Augusta, will also attend the Festival screening and a Q&A session will follow the film.
The 5th Indonesian Film Festival is offering you internationally acknowledged films. “La Promesse” and “Full Moon” have been screened in the 40th International Film Festival, Rotterdam; “Children of the Mud” and “Love” were the Official Selection on Jakarta International Film Festival 2009; “Shackled Woman” won the Best Film award on the Indonesian Film Festival 1980; last but not least, The 5th Indonesian Film Festival presented “Maida’s House” (Ruma Maida) as part of the Educational Program in association with Victorian Indonesian Language Teachers Association and Wesley College. Other special events such as short film competition screenings, film workshop, and public talk on ‘Cinema Women of Indonesia’ will garnish the festival.
