Indonesian Cinema: Global Appeal

      In watching a host of recent Indonesian cinema, a series of themes and styles begin to make themselves known, forming a kind of basis upon which to approach all other varieties of the Indonesian film industry. As more and more contemporary films continue to find exposure both in and beyond their home region, such as the 2014 short film Maryam (pictured), these themes are not changing, but actually becoming strengthened instead. We, the administrators of this blog, would like to share the many ways in which Indonesian cinema possesses global appeal, as well as how it necessitates artistic appreciation from other international filmmakers. 

      Perhaps the most potent theme in all of Indonesian cinema, from the Suekarno leadership onwards, is the culture of change that exists so strongly in almost every major film. In such films as Desa Di Kaki Bukit (1972), the contrast between urban culture and rural tradition in a small township is stressed to its limit, at which point "the entire village embraces change" (Heider 73). Urbanization is a prominent presence in many serious Indonesian films, and even in co-productions such as The Raid: Redemption (2011) and Lovely Man (2011), the city and poor apartment housing depicted play the roles of oppressive, threatening settings that rob people of their collective humanity. This conflict of overwhelming urbanity is extremely relate-able to modern society across the globe, including North America, where the loss of rural life and inner peace to urbanization is also represented on film.

      Change is not only relegated to geography, however. In 1980, Putri Giok examined the hardship that inter-racial relationships (in this case, between Chinese and Indonesian teens) are forced to endure as rebellions against a strictly enforced norm (forced upon the teens by their Chinese father). It is revolutionary relationships like the ones depicted in this film that have experienced a reawakening in the Reformasi period of filmmaking. Cultural change has also been the theme of many blockbuster films like Ayat-Ayat Cinta (2008), which depicts a Coptic Christian girl converting to Islam through her love for an observant Indonesian Muslim. Such cross-cultural issues and questions of identity have made their way across borders, as Islamic issues have now become Western issues and vice versa. In a more ethnically and religiously knowledgeable world, films like Ayat-Ayat Cinta and the above-mentioned Maryam now have a wider audience than ever before.  

      On the subject of change, perhaps one of the most notable aspects of post-Sueharto Indonesian cinema is its high amount of female filmmakers with vocal and culturally-significant oeuvres. Among this new group (working in fiction or documentary) are Mira Lesmana, Nia Dinata, Nan T. Achnas, Yuli Andari M., Upi Avianto, Lulu Ratna, Ucu Agustin, and Ariani Djalal. Although the Indonesian film industry and Hollywood are both still male-dominated to great extents, the sheer volume of work coming from brave, interesting female directors is inspiring for any nationality of woman trying to enter their respective motion-picture business. The entire Reformasi period of independent filmmakers is inspirational to any burgeoning generation of filmmakers, as is the entirety of Indonesian film history to all young, politically unstable former colony from the Developing World that wishes to nurture its own film talent. 

       Overall, the target audience that Indonesian film is produced for would be primarily local people, specifically in educated urban centers. These people have high standards for the quality of film being made in their native language, and are also educated enough to know about the cultural borders that Indonesian movies both work within as well as try to subvert. The second target group is viewers of foreign films, who are excited to see grassroots productions coming from a lesser-known culture. These international fans will assure the global recognition of the greatest new Indonesian films, recognition that is key to the survival of the country's modern cinema. This blog's administration would ask you, humbly, to investigate and watch films from the vibrant and consistently surprising cinema of Indonesia, a film culture that has so much to offer and so little to support itself. 

Sources 

       

       Heider, Karl G. Indonesian Cinema: National Culture on Screen. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1991. Print. 
https://www.eastwestcenter.org/fileadmin/resources/education/asdp_pdfs/asdp_pdfs_2011/NehRead_Wimal_Heider.pdf

       Hughes-Freeland, Felicia. "Woman's Creativity in Indonesian Cinema." Indonesia and the Malay World 39 (2011): 417-444. Academic Search Complete. Web.  23 Nov. 2014.

Indonesian Cinematic Techniques: Writing and Editing

Writing

      For 90's Indonesia, film culture was in a dire state. The industry was mainly subjected to producing films of historical and political propaganda and was faced with censorship.

       However in the early days of reform, new generations of filmmakers including Nan Achnas, Nia Dinata, Rizal Mantovani, Riri Riza and Mira Lesmana came with energy and passion to continue to explore new themes and genres to revive an industry once left for dead.

          There were three genres that really lead the attack for the revival of the industry and they were satirical comedies, religious dramas and inspirational local tales of upward mobility.

        In 2002, a blockbuster romantic comedy titled Ada Apa Dengan Cinta (2002) was the first big success of post-Soeharto cinema. The film had young middle-to-upper class characters and the story balanced local specificities against global consumerism.

        Religious dramas also became a new popular drama inspired by the strong presence of Islam in Indonesia. Such dramas include Hanung Bramyanto’s 2008 drama Ayat-ayat Cinta (pictured below) which resonated with audiences and was praised by journalists, critics politicians and the President along with other dramas that were said to be “inspirational”.  

Editing

        Following the innovations of genres and themes is editing. Indonesia films have subtle editing, and cutaways and close ups are used a lot to foreshadow, stress an object or emotion/reaction or show detail important to the film – i.e. showing common interest.

         Other editing techniques used in Indonesian films is the choice to use shot/reverse shots as shown in the previously mentioned 2002 blockbuster romantic comedy Ada Apa Dengan Cinta but also in others to show the characters on an equal playing fields with the amount of shots and angles used.

      Juxtaposition shots are also important in Indonesian editing techniques - matching shots up that are contrasting with one another. This kind of technique can be found in The Eye of the Day (2001)  by director Leonard Retel Halmrich, where a modern political situation found in a chaotic city is juxtaposed with farm work in central Java, but it is also found used in other Indonesian films as well. 

       This scene from Ada Apa Dengan Cinta provides an example of how both juxtaposition shots and shot/reverse shots work, often in co-operation, throughout Indonesian film. By cutting between the sombre song being performed by the main character and the suicidal plight of her best friend, the greater theme of isolation is addressed. The same objective is achieved by showing reverse shots of the main character's boyfriend's response to her singing. By showing him alone in these reaction shots, we feel that his loneliness is alleviated by her presence, a presence represented by diegetic music.  Through these thematic links to the story, the shots and their use become intrinsic to the film.
 

Sources: 

        Downes, Meghan. Indonesian Cinema: Dynamic and Evolving. The Jakarta Post 12 January 2014: 3.  Print.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/01/12/indonesian-cinema-dynamic-evolving.html

Ada Apa Dengan Cinta? - Analysis of Editing

Film Details:

Title: Ada Apa Dengan Cinta (What's Up With Love?)

Date: 8^th February 2002

Writers: Jujur Prananto, Prima Rusdi

Director: Rudy Soedjarwo

Genre: Romance/Drama

Stars: Dian Sastrowardoyo, Nicholas Saputra

Format: YouTube

Country of Origin: Indonesia

Synopsis:

         Ada Apa Dengan Cinta is an Indonesian romance/drama film centered around a senior high school girl named Cinta who has a tight and faithful group of friends, popularity and supportive parents. Then, everything changes when a boy named Rangga beats Cinta in the yearly poetry contest. With jealousy, secret friendships and dramatics, Cinta’s life is turned upside down as she finds an attraction for Rangga, and nearly sacrifices her friendships and social life for this boy.

Scene:

       Cinta meets Rangga in person for the first time at their school library to congratulate him on winning the poetry contest. She also wants to interview him for her Bulletin Board group to do coverage of his win. Not wanting to talk in the open, Rangga suggests they go somewhere else to talk and they end up in a small room together. As Cinta tries to continue the interview, Rangga denies he is the winner of the contest and stresses that he did not even enter.  

Editing Analysis:

       In this scene in the 2002 drama/romance blockbuster Ada Apa Dengan Cinta, editing is important in showing a character’s interest and the suspense of mystery. Without these key editing decisions, the audience would not have great of an interest or insight on character or story development.

       The scene begins with a long establishing shot then cuts to the protagonist, Cinta, hiding behind a bookshelf, watching Rangga as he sits down with a book in the library. This is already creating suspense in the scene because we as an audience have yet to see these two characters interact face to face, though we can already see that Cinta is hesitant as the clip of her walking up to Rangga is slowed with a long hallway behind her. The next few shots are close ups when Cinta finally comes over and smiles too, but her smile quickly fades when Rangga gives an uninterested look and we as an audience can already piece together, thanks to the use of close ups, that this isn’t the reaction Cinta is used to when she meets someone. This is part of her character development, because we can see she is not used to being talked to quite like that as she is a “popular kid”. Next is a shot of the two framed in between two bookshelves. This is a key editing choice to point out, as neither of the characters are hidden behind the object, but Rangga has his back to the camera giving a sense of mystery to him. However, though he is not showing his face, the way the two are placed in the shot is showing that they are equal and in the same position. This is also brought up later in the scene, when the two exchange words in a shot/reverse shot fashion where the pace of editing does not change and both characters are given an equal amount of screen time face to face as well as the amount of shots and angles. The scene also follows the continuity rules of editing, having an establishing shot (being the library) and moves in closer to have close-ups of characters during conversation. During this conversation, there is also a cut-away to a book in Rangga’s hand from the POV of Cinta which is important to the scene. This cut-away to the book shows a common interest, and now that the audience should be getting a feeling after seeing that there is something in common between the two, that perhaps more will come out of the interest as the story develops.
       The editing techniques in this scene help to communicate character and story development, as well as create a dramatic feel to the movie that highlights character’s key emotions both on the inside and out.

The Raid 2: Berandal - Analysis of Sound

Film Details

Title: The Raid 2: Berandal. Writer/Director: Gareth Evans. Genre: Action. Stars: Iko Uwais, Arifin Putra, Tio Pakusodewo, Oko Antara, Alex Abbad, Yayan Ruhian, Julie Estelle, Cecep Arif Rahman, Very Tri Yulisman. Blu-Ray. Indonesia.

 Film Plot

       The Raid 2 begins three hours after the events of the original, in which hero Rama narrowly survived a disastrous SWAT Team raid. Learning that corrupt police officials want him dead, Rama goes undercover and begins infiltrating a powerful crime family, so that he can find the evidence needed to keep his family safe. However, as he tries to keep his cover, he finds himself becoming a different, more brutal kind of man.  Scene Synopsis:

        Having successfully ingratiated himself to the Bangun crime family, Rama is introduced to his new flat. Once alone, he plays very loud music in order to hide his call to Bunawar, the task-force leader who placed him undercover in the first place. After fighting with Bunawar, Rama finally places a call to his family, and finds a rare moment of peace in listening to his baby’s laughter. Time code: 38:47 – 44:17.

Sound Design

      In this particular scene of the Indonesian action film The Raid 2: Berandal, sound is essential to the development of the plot and characters. In dissecting this scene for its sound design, it becomes apparent just how many choices were made regarding this crucial element, as well as just how instrumental it is in moving the story forward.

        At first, the only sound in the sequence is a sound bridge transitioning from the previous scene, in which protagonist Rama succeeded in his “job interview” for the role of mob enforcer. This optimistic, satisfactory sound bridge leads us into the next scene, where Rama continues to taste good fortune as he is shown his new apartment. Thanks to this transition, we are beginning this new scene with the feeling that our protagonist is in a relatively assured and safe position. After this audio fades out, however, the only sound is the monologue another character gives Rama. Once Rama is alone, however, he finds a CD and begins playing it at maximum volume. Since this music is playing from a grounded onscreen source, it is considered source music, and therefore diegetic. In the context of the scene, the music serves as a tool to hide Rama’s clandestine activities, as he sets about calling Bunawar, his only contact inside the police force. This music, however, also serves thematic purposes. It begins with an aggressive, pounding drumbeat, re-introducing the more threatening themes in the soundtrack as the protagonist’s main concerns resurface. This intro is followed by electronic elements that play up the more nerve-wracking elements of this storyline. The track keeps a consistent level of intensity for the duration of the phone call, offering a counterpoint of anxiety to the relatively calm visuals. A link to the diegetic music used in this scene can be found below: 

https://soundcloud.com/fajaryuskemal/the-raid-2-berandal-black-bonus-track

       As the call ends, the music continues at a slightly lower audio level, before Rama makes another call – this time to his wife Isa. As this call means much more to him emotionally, Rama puts a finger in his ear to try and block out the noisy track. It is at this point that the sound editing decidedly fades out all of the audio in the scene, with the audio effect occurring alongside a close-up of Rama inserting his finger. This shot ends in silence, before cutting to a completely new location within the sequence. We can fully see Isa as she speaks her dialogue, whereas with Bunawar, we could only hear his distorted voice over Rama’s phone. This serves the narrative purpose of establishing a strong relationship between Rama and his rarely seen wife, while also developing a messy and distrustful partnership with Bunawar.

       It is at this point in the sequence that non-diegetic sound is finally introduced. As opposed to the dark, assaulting track from before, the new musical accompaniment is now calm and tranquil. Throughout the conversation, this music only serves as peaceful underscoring, but when Rama gets to hear his child laughing over the phone, the track becomes the only audio in the scene. This musical emphasis serves to communicate Rama’s inner peace as he listens, and more importantly, establishes a key character theme that will reappear later in the film to communicate the same emotions. As both the music and the phone call end, a much more ominous theme returns, again in a non-diegetic manner. This theme is meant to reflect the character’s newfound strength and determination, as well as the lengths he will be prepared to go in order to be reunited with his family. This ambience serves as a transition out of the scene as well. The music that takes place during this sequence, as well as the soundtrack piece where the theme specified above re-emerges, has been included through video format here: 

      Through these numerous manipulations of the soundtrack, this scene and the audio accompanying it help communicate the main themes of the movie, that being the brutalities and complexities of a violent world, but also the good and pure emotions that can exist outside of it. 

Evolution of Indonesian Cinema: A Brief History

      True Indonesian cinema has had a very short history, but the national film heritage of this Pacific country has been through much in the few years of its existence. Throughout the country's turbulent history, there has been a film culture that simply refuses to die, instead choosing to adapt and strengthen as its home culture continues to change.

      Indonesia, formerly called the Dutch East Indies, has been the subject of two different invasions: First by a Dutch colonial government in the 17th century, and then later by the Imperial Japanese in 1942.  Although the independence of Indonesia was declared in 1945 by nationalist leader Soekarno (depicted above in a 2013 biographical film), it wasn't until 27th December 1949 that freedom of the state was finally handed over by the Dutch after years of bloody conflict. However, in 1971, Sueharto and his New Order government came to power, and placed the country under authoritarian rule for the next 31 years. Even though
this new government brought political and economic stability, it also carried out mass policies of imprisonment and genocide. Finally, in 1998, Sueharto was forced to resign due to massive violence and unrest in Indonesia. Thus, the new democratic age of Indonesian history began and continues to this present day.

      Films made in Indonesia have many unique ties to this intense past. The first films shot in the country were made by Dutch crews in the late 1920's, and were actually based on native folk tales. These began with the film Loetoeng Kasaroeng (1926), the first fictional movie to be produced in the region. A couple of years later, Chinese filmmakers, led by the Wong brothers, began producing feature films in the East Indies, and Chinese-made films continued to experience local popularity until the Japanese occupation. Under the Japanese, the indigenous film industry became a propaganda machine, and it retained a similar goal under the Suekarno government. This new party banned all foreign imports, and all films produced in the country required a nationalistic context. Despite the tight control, this was the beginning of a truly Indonesian national cinema. The most revered director to produce Indonesian films during this time, and into the New Order government's reign, was Usmar Ismail. Considered "the father of Indonesian cinema", Usmar made films until 1970, and his masterpieces including the famous Darah dan Doa (1950) are still played in festivals today.

 
      When the Sueharto leadership took over the country, censorship remained as a tool of social hierarchy. Film development continued until Indonesian cinema reached its height in the 1980's, producing films such as the biographical Tjoet Nja'Dhien (1988) that actually received worldwide recognition.  Important filmmakers of this period include Slamet Rahardjo, who was noted for depicting a rich contemporary Indonesia, as well as director Arifin C. Noer. This quality began to slow down in the 1990's with the reintroduction of foreign film, forcing home product to become more competitive and derivative. Television melodrama (called serial electronic cinema, or sinetron) and cheap B-movies became the majority of cinematic output in the country.

        It wasn't until the Reformasi period, after Sueharto fell from power, that independent filmmaking began to change the overall themes and quality of Indonesian films. The racial and religious subcultures of Indonesia began to finally see exposure on the big screen, as did plots about romance, family, and even homosexuality. Arisan! (2003) was the first to deal with the latter, while religion and love collided in the dramatic Ayat-Ayat Cinta (2008), which was an unlikely hit with cinema-averse Muslims. The key filmmakers behind this new era of film include Rudy Soedjarwo (director of What's Up With Love?, 2002), Riri Riza (writer and director of Gie, 2005, pictured below), Mira Lesmana (director of Laskar Pelangi, 2008, the country's highest-grossing film ever) and Hanung Bramantyo (controversial director of Ayat-Ayat Cinta, among others).

        With these films, as well as English co-productions such as The Raid: Redemption (2011) and Lovely Man (2011) receiving international attention, the future seems bright for a film industry which is still young, but which has continuously shown its own potential.

Sources 
       
        Downes, Meghan. Indonesian Cinema: Dynamic and Evolving. The Jakarta Post 12 January 2014: 3.  Print.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/01/12/indonesian-cinema-dynamic-evolving.html

        Heider, Karl G. Indonesian Cinema: National Culture on Screen. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1991. Print. 
https://www.eastwestcenter.org/fileadmin/resources/education/asdp_pdfs/asdp_pdfs_2011/NehRead_Wimal_Heider.pdf
    
         "Indonesia: History." Lonely Planet. n.p, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2014.
 http://www.lonelyplanet.com/indonesia/history