Jakarta fest courts controversy

HONG KONG – Jakarta Int'l Film Fest (Jiffest) has unveiled a selection of 170 movies from 35 countries to play at the 9th frame of the event next month (Dec 7-16.)

It opens with "Persepolis," the animated portrayal of life in Iran by Marjane Satrapi that preemed in Cannes and was previously set to open the Bangkok festival, before that festival removed it following a protest from the Iranian Embassy.

Event will wrap on another controversial note. For the first time closing night film is set as the preem of a local movie. "Chants of Lotus" is an omnibus film about marginalized women in modern Indonesia, directed by four women filmmakers, Nia Dinata, Lasja F. Susatyo, Upi and Fatimah Tobing.

Fest contains 'A View From The SEA,' a section dedicated to South East Asian cinema, plus other sections dedicated to 'World Cinema,' documentaries, shorts and a tribute to legendary Malay thespian P. Ramlee. Int'l pictures include: "No Country for old men," "The Namesake," Cannes winner "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days" and "Elizabeth: The Golden Age."

JiFFest will also play host to two other premieres: Indonesian docu "The Conductors," by Andibachtiar Yusuf, and winners of last year's JiFFest script development competition "Crescent Moon Over the sea," by Yuli Andari and "Boy Meets Girl" by Erik Bachtiar and Utawa Tresno.

This year's script competition and workshop will concentrate on three categories, documentary, features and shorts, and take place at the InterContinental Jakarta MidPlaza.

Screening events will unspool at the new Blitz Megaplex in Grand Indonesia shopping mall and cultural centers including the GoetheHaus, Erasmus Huis and Kineforum at Ismail Marzuki Arts Centre.