We May Not Accomplish Anything After a Decade of Political Reform
To commemorate the ten years of political reform, Proyek Payung held a screening event of the ten short films from ten young directors at Kineforum Jakarta, May 12 to 20th 2008. The respond is satisfying. But what and why is Proyek Payung founded? Why are they making commemoration films, which normally only execute by governmental institution, not artists organization. To find out more, we interviewing one of the initiators and coordinator of Proyek Payung, Prima Rusdi.
How is the making process of Proyek Payung, who are the persons involve?The making is very informal. Originally, because of me and Hafiz chats a lot, and so with Edwin. Basically, there is a kind of unwritten pact that we respect our own way of works and principals, how we manage our works and whatever the things that we have done. Apart from that, there is enough healthy dynamics between us three, we never hang around continuously, only once in a while. So, this friendship refer to the quality rather than frequency of the meeting. I say it’s healthy because there still a room for objectivity between us. Meaning, no burden to always agree, or to always diplomacy. Whenever we need to argue, we argue healthily. And well, after Konfiden 2007, separately I spoke to Hafiz and Edwin. We feel very sorry if we’re not trying to do something on the commemoration of ten years of political reform. ‘Something’ that we intend to make is a series of short films which involving our other friends.
What is the reason to elevate the May 1998 tragedy as a theme of this project?
One thing for sure, the political reform was somekind of reverse point in the life of Indonesian people. So, no one wasn’t affected to the euphoria of the reform, ten years ago. We also consider the significant role of youngsters back then. No other notice on the progression of reform except for the unsettling transition matters, as well as the media which has the tendency to only spotlighting the time of this transition from the perspective of the rulers/elite politics. Thus, a decade can really be bygone, and possibly we’ll never accomplish anything.
Why pick Kineforum to screen the films?
Kineforum is very succesful to attain viewers outside the mainstream area. Kineforum also getting use to watch films not only in term of films, but also as a tool to education the public, therefore make the discussions’ possible. We think that, at least this moment, “9808” won’t finished after the films are shown, but follows with discussion on the films with the public. Another reason is, because the films which we have screen are unnecessarily sorted by Film Censorship Institution (LSF).
How many participants involved in the project?
Ten directors, whom usually involving their team to produce their film. And, because of Proyek Payung is not an organization, we consider as a production partner of the directors whose involve in this project, because without them, the film will never be completed, especially we don’t capitalize them financially.
Why is so many racial theme in some films of this compilation?
Actually there are little who spoke about that sort of themes from all the ten directors. Only two films which spoke about the structured cultural discrimination/elimination by the government: “Sugiharti Halim” (Ariani Darmawan), and “A Letter of Unprotected Memory” (Lucky Kuswandi). These two films propose a Chinese-Indonesian point of view. Other Chinese issue appear in the film, “Where Was I?” (Anggun Priambodo). Why the issues become very dominant? I think it’s because certain issues on the ‘Chinese problem’ are not utter with clear mind. As far as I remember, there are no such mention of a word China pronounce very clear in any Indonesian films, because along this time the word China is consider as taboo.
What about the curatorial process in the films anthology?
Actually we perform the curatorial when attempting to arrange names of participants. The three sheets of the term of reference which we pass to the participants is the back and forth discussion via email between me, Hafiz and Edwin. We agree to not restricted the aesthetical/stylistic approach of the participants. Even, we never limited issues as long as they’re still relevant.
What expectations that you want to articulate in the project?
Our expectation is to reopen dialogues through this anthology. I even consider that our participation in the anthology more likely as citizens rather than filmmakers/artworkers.
Will Proyek Payung elevated such themes in the future?
To be frank, since the very beginning we position this project as a medium for collective learning, attempting on the possibilities of expressing an issue with all the limitation that emerge, whether it’s time, or (what else could it be?) finance, and what could happened if there are certain people whom in reality were not in one group, attempting to reach the same puprose. Thus, there is no single plan whether this kind of project will still be held or not. We are very please if there are some other party willing to make the exact same effort as we did in this project.
What about the viewers respond after they watch all the films?
There are variety of responds. It is quite a relief, somehow, because in general, they consider this anthology as important. To be honest, the variety of narrative method in this anthology is risky. It is seldom that viewers like all films, unless they have a kind of ‘related’ condition with certain films. In the category of youngsters (teenagers), they has tendency to like the film, “Where Was I?” and “Trip to the Wound”. While in more mature category (25 years and up), usually love “Sugiharti Halim” and “Our School Our Life”. The upper 30 years old group responded to “The Endless Path”. However, one thing that really thrill me, Kineforum note the improvement of ‘quality’ viewers in a sense that “9808” manage to bring a group of spectators outside the routine visitors.
Will the next project recruit a non-cinema activists?
We haven’t planned the next project yet, because at the moment we are half the way through. Some screening will be held in various venues, not only in Jakarta.
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