Film Forecast: Showing as Scheduled

Film Forecast: Showing as Scheduled

Indonesian fans of Hollywood films need not worry, theater operators say. New Hollywood blockbusters will be screened here as scheduled.

Concerns have been aired that since the resumption of the supply of Hollywood movies in July, the flow of feature films to the country’s theaters has been little more than a trickle.

Catherine Keng, corporate secretary of Cineplex 21, one of the nation’s largest cinema operators, said Hollywood film distribution was proceeding “smoothly.”

“Some were postponed because we want to first screen several films that could not be screened a while ago,” Catherine said via text message.

She went on to say that most upcoming Hollywood blockbusters would be screened in Indonesia on time.

“ ‘The Adventures of Tintin’ and ‘Breaking Dawn: Part 1’ [of The Twilight Saga] will be screened as scheduled, but ‘Paranormal Activity 3’ will be postponed because the slots for films at the cinema are currently already full,” Catherine said.

Top film studios in the United States launched a boycott of the Indonesian market in February because of a dispute over royalties, but they resumed their exports in July.

Djonny Sjafruddin, who heads the Indonesian Cinema Companies Union (GPBSI), said films from the Motion Picture Association of America were being given screening priority.

“We are prioritizing films from the MPAA so that we are not left behind other countries. American indie films, we will delay,” Djonny said.

The MPAA represents many of the biggest Hollywood studios, including Warner Bros. and Disney.

He said that since the boycott was lifted, movie theaters were beginning to see their incomes return to normal levels.

He also said that although the members of his association remained committed to having Indonesian films account for 60 percent of those screened, the market did not appear to support those efforts.

“There may only be about 5 percent of all national film productions that are capable of drawing the market’s interest,” Djonny said.

He said Indonesian film producers and directors should seek input from public figures as well as from movie theater operators to see what kind of films the country’s movie-goers actually demand.

“Better quality Indonesian films would benefit all sides as national films would be popular among the public,” he said.

Jupe Faces 2 Years, 8 Months Jail for On-Set Cat Fight

Jupe Faces 2 Years, 8 Months Jail for On-Set Cat Fight

Controversial Indonesian celebrity Julia Perez is facing a maximum of two years and eight months in jail for allegedly assaulting a fellow controversial actress, Dewi Perssik.

The trial opened on Tuesday for the case, which stems from an incident that took place last November on the set of “Arwah Goyang Kerawang” (“Dancing Ghost of Karawang”), a horror film in which the two co-starred.

The celebrities, both of whom began as dangdut singers, reportedly slapped and scratched each other while grappling on the floor of the Hotel Mega Matra in Matraman, East Jakarta, where the filming was taking place.

Prosecutors told the East Jakarta District Court that Julia, whose real name is Yuli Rahmawati, violated Article 351 of the Criminal Code on assault.

Based on the police report filed by Dewi, prosecutor Hutamrin said the incident took place during the filming of a scene that was supposed to show the two women acting out a cat fight.

“The two were supposed to be slapping and scratching each other according to the script, however even after the scene they couldn’t be separated,” he said.

“They were crawling on the floor, tearing out each other’s clothes and their underwear were exposed.

“It became a free show for people in the set,” he continued.

Julia, who appeared in court in a formal outfit along with six lawyers, said she was a bit nervous.

"I was surprised that I had to sit alone in front of the judge during the hearing, but it was fine," she said.

Though she hasn’t been detained since the police report was filed, presiding Judge Jesayas said her camp still needed to send a request for a suspension of detention to keep her out of jail.

“We will send the formal request,” her lawyer, Henry Yosodiningrat, said.

“We will guarantee that the defendant will always attend the hearings, that she will not escape and that she will not remove evidence.”

The film was eventually released early this year and even promoted that it contained genuine scenes of violence featuring Dewi and Julia brawling on set.

Footballer Irfan Ready for His Close-Up in New Movie

Footballer Irfan Ready for His Close-Up in New Movie

Irfan Bachdim, the golden boy of Indonesian football, is preparing to take his game from the pitch to the big screen.

The Persema Malang striker is set to star in “Tendangan Dari Langit” (“Kick From the Sky”). He will be joined by two of his teammates from the Indonesian Premier League club, German-born Kim Kurniawan and Bima Sakti, Persema’s captain.

Production is expected to start in the middle of May. The film tells the story of a high school student named Wahyu, from Bromo, East Java, who aspires to play for the national football team.

The lead character’s story was inspired in part by Irfan’s own struggles to become a professional footballer.

Irfan became an instant celebrity when he scored a goal in his national team debut against Malaysia during last year’s AFF Suzuki Cup. Indonesia won 5-1.

Abdul Aziz, a spokesman for Sinemart Pictures, which is producing the movie, said the idea for the story came from Persema coach Timo Scheunemann.

“The film is not just about drama, but it will be an inspiration and motivation for all the talented youngsters who want to become future national football stars,” Aziz said.

The film will be shot in Malang, Bromo and other locations around East Java.

Sinemart Pictures has yet to cast the role of Wahyu.

The film is scheduled to be screened later this year.

A Preview of What’s to Come Under the Imported Film Levy

A Preview of What’s to Come Under the Imported Film Levy

Higher taxes usually mean higher revenue for the government and more funds available for developing the country.

However, in the case of the new import tax on foreign film distribution rights that was issued last month but has yet to take effect, few people are seeing any benefit.

With foreign film distributors boycotting Indonesia as a result of the new import policy, cinema and film industry players, as well as those whose livelihoods are affected by these industries, are warning of a catastrophic domino effect.

Cinema Industry in Peril

Prominent film figure Noorca Massardi, chairman of the Indonesian Cinemas Association and spokesman for 21 Cineplex, provided a preview of things to come if the government refuses to revoke the policy.

“Every year, cinemas screen 50 to 80 local titles and 100 to 150 foreign titles,” he said. “If no solution is found, Indonesian cinemas will close down one by one.”

First, the livelihood of roughly 10,000 employees of 21 Cineplex, Indonesia’s largest movie theater chain, will be at stake, Noorca said in a statement published by Kompas.

One employee of a South Jakarta cinema said he and his co-workers were all worried about their jobs.

Blitz Megaplex, a more upscale theater chain, is also worried.

Dian Sunardi, head of marketing for Blitz, said the development is particularly worrying for the chain because it plans to open nine new screens in the next three weeks.

“We expect the government to revoke this regulation as it will kill the cinema industry along with the jobs of the people working for it,” she said.

Hurting Malls and Restaurants

The impact of the boycott is expected to reverberate beyond the cinema industry.

Cinemas are considered anchor tenants for shopping malls and are relied on heavily to draw in crowds, said Muhammad Arfan Purnama, a spokesman for Cilandak Town Square.

He added that the mall is already feeling the effect, especially after Oscar-nominated movies “Black Swan” and “127 Hours,” which were supposed to start screening on Friday, were put on hold after the boycott was announced on Thursday.

Arfan said traffic in the popular South Jakarta complex was noticeably lower on Saturday night compared to its usual weekends.

“If the government insists on implementing the new regulation, it will not only impact the cinema industry but also the malls and their tenants, like coffee shops and other restaurants that usually attract movie-going customers,” he said.

Lower Tax Revenue

When the levy comes into effect, the government itself will suffer from lower tax revenues.

Iwan Setiawandi, head of the Jakarta tax office, said on Sunday that cinemas contribute around 40 percent to 50 percent of the Rp 300 billion ($34 million) in entertainment tax collected by the city administration each year.

“Jakarta’s entertainment tax also comes from places such as Ancol theme park, night clubs and restaurants,” he said. “But losing 40 to 50 percent of the entertainment tax is substantial. It’s money we can use to improve health and education facilities.”

Iwan added that 21 Cineplex is the largest contributor to Jakarta’s entertainment tax collections.

“It will likely be even more difficult for the municipal administrations whose entertainment tax relies mostly on cinemas,” he added.

Disappointed Fans

Of course, there is also the understated impact of the boycott — the disappointed fans.

Shafiq, a member of Indo Harry Potter, an online fan community, said they were at a loss over the prospect of not being able to see the final installment of the Hollywood blockbuster series on the big screen.

“Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2,” the last of the eight-part movie series, is scheduled for worldwide release in July. For the previous films, special screenings have been held for IHP members, who come dressed as characters from the series.

“Last year, we successfully held a screening of ‘Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 1’ with 500 participants, and we’re worried we will not be able to do it again,” Shafiq said.

He added that film lovers in general would lose an important source of entertainment, especially since in his opinion, “Indonesian films are often very poor in both quality and content.”

The One Exception

If any group would likely benefit from all this, it is the pirated DVD sellers the government claims it is trying to stamp out.

Nia Dinata, a prominent film director and producer, said it was expected that the boycott would lead to a huge boost in the piracy business in the country.

Because “the culture of going to the cinema will fade as film lovers get used to watching pirated DVDs,” she said, it was likely even fans of Indonesian films would opt to buy bootleg copies instead of going to theaters.

“If the government wants to help to increase the number of Indonesian films and improve the quality of the local film industry, this is not the solution,” she said.

It’s Curtains for Foreign Films, Warns Cinema 21

It’s Curtains for Foreign Films, Warns Cinema 21

Importation of foreign films into Indonesia has been halted and will only resume if the government revokes a new levy on imported films, the spokesman of 21 Cineplex has warned.

Noorca Masardi told the Jakarta Globe that 21, Indonesia’s largest movie theater chain with 500 screens, would only continue to screen foreign films that were already showing.

“[After this], we will not be able to screen any more imported films until the customs department changes its policy on film distribution in Indonesia,” he said, adding that this applies not only to movies from the United States but also Europe and Asia.

The Motion Picture Association on Thursday told journalists at a preview for “Black Swan” that the Oscar-nominated movie was likely the last foreign offering it would bring into this country because of the new levy on imported film distribution.

Noorca was quoted in other news portals as explaining that imported films already had to pay a 23.75 percent excise duty, a 10 percent tax to the central government and another 10-15 percent of the profit from ticket sales to regional governments. The new tax on distribution, he said, was also as much as 23.75 percent.

“There is no similar rule in any other country,” he later told the Globe.

Government officials involved in the matter have repeatedly declined to provide details of the new levy, saying only that talks were ongoing.

Noorca warned of the effect the policy would have has on the nation’s theaters and viewers.

“Every year, cinemas screen 50 to 80 local titles and 100 to 150 foreign titles. If the government does not revoke this new policy, it will kill the cinema industry in Indonesia,” he said. “If no solution is found, Indonesian cinemas will close down one by one.”

Indonesia’s film industry has suffered a downturn in recent years. In 2009, six local films sold more than a million tickets each at the box office. In 2010, only one movie broke the million mark.

Last year, 81 Indonesian films had cinema releases, slightly down from 83 films in 2009, although a significant decline from 91 big-screen releases in 2008.

Members of the MPA include some of the biggest studios in the United States, including Walt Disney Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox Film, Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. Entertainment.

Cinemas Face Threat of US Movie Boycott

Cinemas Face Threat of US Movie Boycott

Cinema screens across the country may soon have little to show except local movies if a new threat by American film producers to boycott exports to Indonesia is carried out.

The warning has come from the Motion Picture Association, the international counterpart of the Motion Picture Association of America, which has apparently been angered by a proposed levy slapped on imported films.

Freelance film reviewer Bobby Batara told the Jakarta Globe that Frank Rittman, MPA’s vice president for the Asia Pacific, aired the warning after a preview screening for journalists on Thursday of the Oscar-nominated US film “Black Swan.”

Bobby, who attended the event, said Rittman had complained about a new tax that would soon be applied by Indonesia’s customs office.

Rittman was quoted by a number of journalists at the screening as saying that the new government regulation on film importation could force big American studios to stop sending movies to Indonesian cinemas.

MPA representatives could not be reached for confirmation.

Titis Sapto Raharjo, editor in chief of Flick Online Magazine, a film review site, was also at the screening and said the rumor was that the government planned to impose a levy of 43 cents per meter of film imported.

Government officials involved in the matter declined to confirm the figure, saying only that talks were still ongoing.

Syamsul Lussa, a representative from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, said he did not want to comment because the levy had not been finalized yet. “We will discuss it with the tax and customs directorate as there is a high demand for imported films in Indonesia,” he told the Globe.

Bambang Permadi Brodjonegoro, head of fiscal policy at the Ministry of Finance, said the details had not been finalized because negotiations with the MPA were still ongoing.

“I can’t provide any details until it has been discussed at the fiscal policy body. Please wait until next week,” he said in a message to the Globe. “It’s better to wait until after we have met with [officials from] customs and duties.”

Titis criticized the MPA for bringing up the issue before talks had been completed. “This is an internal discussion between the government and the MPA,” he said. “Therefore, it is very important that Frank not bring this case up to the public.”

Nauval Yazid, manager of the annual Jakarta International Film Festival (JiFFest), said if the threat were carried out, it would deal a significant blow to cinemas and filmgoers across the country.

“Stopping film exports to Indonesia would affect many people,” he said. “Besides, the Indonesian film industry is grappling with piracy, which cannot be stopped. It’s very important that the MPA discuss and resolve this problem with customs.”

Members of the MPA include some of the biggest studios in the United States, including Walt Disney Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox Film, Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. Entertainment.

Indonesia’s film industry has suffered a downturn in recent years. In 2009, six local films sold more than a million tickets each at the box office. In 2010, only one movie broke the million mark.

Last year, 81 Indonesian films had cinema releases, slightly down from 83 films in 2009, although a significant decline from 91 big-screen releases in 2008.

Hermione, Harry and Hogwarts Fans Gather to Salute the Student Wizards

Hermione, Harry and Hogwarts Fans Gather to Salute the Student Wizards

For university student Marchella Pradipta, dressing up as Hermione Granger, who the whole world knows is one of Harry Potter’s best friends, is just the thing when going off to see “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1,” the latest film in the series.

Marchella, 22, joined some 500 Harry Potter fans for a screening of the latest film on Sunday at Blitzmegaplex in the Grand Indonesia shopping mall. She has been a devotee since her elementary school days.

“I am a huge fan of Harry Potter. I am not at all embarrassed to come to the screening dressed as Hermione,” she said.

Marchella owns a number of Potteresque costumes — school uniforms and dormitory cloaks included — and she also collects matching accessories online.

The crowd on Sunday was liberally sprinkled with costumed Hermiones, Harrys and Ron Weasleys, proving that Jakarta is not as far away as one would think from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the English countryside.

The screening was organized by Indo Harry Potter (IHP), an online fan community. It initially planned for 400 participants, then increased the number to meet demand.

“This is the fifth time that IHP has organized a Harry Potter screening in Jakarta and this is the most crowded one we have had,” said Shafiq, who organized the event.

“We had actually targeted 400 people because we didn’t want Harry Potter fans sitting in the front row and not being able to fully enjoy the film,” he added.

IHP began making preparations for the screening two months ago, charging Rp 85,000 ($9.50) and Rp 65,000 per person for tickets and goody bags.

Anne Lumos, from IHP’s merchandise division, said participants got magic wands, shirts, chocolate frogs, pins and a Harry Potter poster.

The only downside was that not more fans opted for cosplay.

“Three days before the screening, we actually informed the participants that it was a Harry Potter Cosplay but only about 40 participated,” Lumos said.

Airyn Wirawan 22, is a major Harry Potter fan but cosplay is not her thing.

“I don’t really want to dress up as it is a bit of a hassle for me,” she said. “I am more interested in the crowds and getting to know new friends from the screening .”

Indo Harry Potter was established as a mailing list by Eduardi Prahara and Erwin Gunawan in 2001. There are also now dozens of other local sites devoted to the Potter craze.

“It was back in the era when the Internet was not as popular as now. Erwin and I just made Indo Harry Potter because we are fans of Harry Potter,” Eduardi said.

“The first year, we only had 10 members but now there are more than 10,000,” he said, adding that his real life keeps him busy these days while numerous volunteers are around to maintain the IHP forum.

Herayu Nurkusuma Putri, 15, came dressed in a Gryffindor cloak and said she wanted IHP to live on. “I hope IHP will continue to have events that bring us back to the time when the Harry Potter series was still on,” she said