Jakarta, Indonesia ― June 11, 2010 ― Chinese-Indonesian forbidden love and Irish-American survival in New York probably do not seem likely to have much in common. They do, however: both are storylines of award winning movies which illustrate multiculturalism in practice. These two films were shown at the day-long Harmony Film Festival (HFF), organized by SERASI grantee Pusat Studi Islam dan Kenegaraan (Center for the Study of Islam and State Studies) in Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jakarta on 29 March 2010.

Putri Giok (Princess Giok) released in 1980 and directed by Deddy Armand, documents the tragic results of tension between ethnic groups in Indonesia. The film mirrors the classic Romeo and Juliet theme – in this the story is about the love between between Giok, a Chinese girl, and Herman, a Betawi boy. In the face of their families’ refusal to accept their love, the end is a double suicide. The parents realize their mistake too late. The film’s powerful message underlines that love does not recognize bounds of color or creed. The Academy Award-nominated 2002 drama, In America centers on the survival story of newly-arrived ethnic-minority immigrants and the challenges they face in a multicultural community. Both movies exemplified multiculturalism in harmony as daily occurrences.

The HFF, which coincided with the Indonesian “Month of National Movies,” featured two other movies with similar multicultural themes, as well as a mini workshop and a public discussion. An exhibition was also held on site, hosted by production houses and NGOs that showcased products promoting multiculturalism and harmony. The Film Festival was attended by representatives of the Indonesian movie community and a plethora of religious groups, academics, writers, students, and others. Accomplished Indonesian director Garin Nugroho, whose movies feature reinforce social messages such as protection of children welfare and promotion of Indonesian diverse ethnic culture, and up-and-coming director Nurman Hakim led a public discussion on the theme of multiculturalism and Indonesian film. Nurman explored concepts and theories of multiculturalism and then related them to the history of international and Indonesian cinematic life. He cautioned against some trends he sees in Indonesian culture, which he described as monolithicism and monoculturalism. An accomplished director with awards from several international film festivals, Nugroho pointed out that multiculturalism is underrepresented not only in Indonesian films but also on television; popular television shows, especially sinetron soap operas, usually serve as fictional escape mechanisms rather than portrayals of Indonesian cultural realities or difficult issues.

HFF is also about ideas. In the mini expo, several national publishers showcased books written by or about prominent intellectuals known for their strong stance on multiculturalism and religious tolerance in Indonesia. Books written by Gus Dur (Abdurrahman Wahid) and Cak Nur (Nurcholish Madjid) were on display. The venue also provided space for production houses to display their works, as well as non governmental organizations who work in the promotion of multiculturalism. The HFF created the space for a rare and interesting mix of filmmakers, artists, social groups, and citizens to tackle peace building issues in a public forum.

SERASI is a three-year USAID funded project focusing on conflict mitigation and supporting peace building activities. It is implemented by International Relief and Development (IRD).