Nia Dinata
Encyclopedia
Nurkurniati Aisyah Dewi (born in Jakarta
, Indonesia, on 4 March 1970), better known as Nia Dinata, is an award-winning Indonesian film director. Her movies are known for tackling subjects controversial or "risky" in Indonesia such as homosexuality, migrant workers, and polygamy.
Dinata began her film career directing video clips and commercials in the mid 1990s until directing the made-for-television Mencari Pelangi in 1998. Three years later, she directed her first feature film, Ca-bau-kan
, after founding her own production house. The next film she directed, 2003's Arisan!
, was critically acclaimed and one of her most successful works. Her third directorial effort, 2006's Berbagi Suami, was controversial yet successful.
Dinata has faced heavy censorship and controversy in Indonesia because of the subjects she covers. However, she has also won critical acclaim internationally, being called Indonesia's "most talented new filmmaker" in 2006. Two of the films she direct have been submitted to the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
.
in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania
, where she became interested in cinematography
. She then took a filmmaking course at New York University
. After returning to Indonesia, she took her first job as an apprentice reporter for Seputar Indonesia
. She later began directing video clips and commercials with Iguana Productions in the mid 1990s, studying the techniques on her own.
Dinata made her directorial debut with the 1998 made-for-television film Mencari Pelangi (Looking for the Rainbow), which won two national awards. She then started her own production company, Kaylana Shira Film, around 1999. Her first feature film, Ca-bau-kan
, was produced by Kaylana Shira and dealt with the trials and tribulations of Chinese Indonesians in pre-independence Indonesia. After being trimmed from its original running time of 160 minutes to 124 minutes for commercial viability, the film was critically panned; Dinata herself was satisfied, saying it was "as good as it could be for that short running time". She produced Sekar Ayu Asmara
's debut, Biola Tak Berdawai, the following year.
The next film she directed, 2003's Arisan!
(The Gathering), had gay themes and was produced on a small budget. It is considered one of her more commercially successful films, being seen by over 500,000 people, and the first Indonesian film dealing with homosexuality. Its success surprised her, as most of the commercially successful films at the time were horrors and children's films.
After the success of Arisan!, Dinata was able to find more sponsors for her movies. In 2004, she was invited to join the Cannes Young Directors Program, and the following year she produced Joko Anwar
's directorial debut Janji Joni (Joni's Promise). Another film she directed, 2006's Berbagi Suami (Love for Share), about polygamy in Indonesia, was based on her personal experiences when her father took a second wife.
In 2007, Dinata produced Quickie Express
, described in the press as a sex comedy
but by Dinata herself as a "love story with social content". This was followed by the short-film collection Perempuan Punya Cerita (Chants of Lotus), which featured one directed by her, Gara-Gara Bola (Soccer Riot), which she produced, and the documentary Pertaruhan (At Stake).
In 2009, Dinata and the Kalyana Shira Foundation she runs started the Indonesian International Children’s Film Festival. The festival showcases both local and international children's films and involves children in all aspects of the festival. , it has been run three times.
, Dinata is producing a sequel to Arisan!. Filming was expected to begin in May, with the release scheduled for 1 December 2011, eight years after the first instalment.
, who disagreed with the perceived anti-polygamy message in the film and stated that she had clearly not researched Islam's views on the practice
. Another film she produced, Long Road to Heaven
, was banned in Bali for a time for its depiction of the 2002 Bali bombings. Despite the controversies arising from her works, Dinata has stated that she will never practice self-censorship
.
Although the versions of her works released in theatres and on DVD are censored (the censorship being her "biggest challenge"), Dinata holds onto the original cuts for special viewings. Having dealt with censorship since the beginning of her career and fighting against it in the Constitutional Court of Indonesia
in 2007, Dinata continues to argue against laws permitting film censorship.
, has noted that Dinata is "more art house than Hollywood", showing fearlessness in addressing pressing Indonesian social issues.
Although she enjoys watching teen movies like Clueless and Cruel Intentions
, she does not intend to direct any as "wouldn't have the passion".
.
As writer
As producer
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
, Indonesia, on 4 March 1970), better known as Nia Dinata, is an award-winning Indonesian film director. Her movies are known for tackling subjects controversial or "risky" in Indonesia such as homosexuality, migrant workers, and polygamy.
Dinata began her film career directing video clips and commercials in the mid 1990s until directing the made-for-television Mencari Pelangi in 1998. Three years later, she directed her first feature film, Ca-bau-kan
Ca-bau-kan
Ca-bau-kan also known as The Courtesan is a 2002 Indonesian romantic drama film, directed by Nia Dinata, and starring Niniek L. Karim, Ferry Salim and Lola Amaria. It was distributed by Kalyana Shira Film and released on February 7, 2002 in Jakarta...
, after founding her own production house. The next film she directed, 2003's Arisan!
Arisan!
Arisan! is a 2003 Indonesian film that has drawn more than 100,000 viewers. It is the first Indonesian film with a gay theme, and the first Indonesian film to use high-definition color enhancement. It uses a mixture of English, standard Indonesian and Jakartan slang...
, was critically acclaimed and one of her most successful works. Her third directorial effort, 2006's Berbagi Suami, was controversial yet successful.
Dinata has faced heavy censorship and controversy in Indonesia because of the subjects she covers. However, she has also won critical acclaim internationally, being called Indonesia's "most talented new filmmaker" in 2006. Two of the films she direct have been submitted to the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the Academy Awards of Merit, popularly known as the Oscars, handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
.
Biography
Dinata was born Nurkurniati Aisyah Dewi in Jakarta on 4 March 1970. As a child, Dinata watched movies weekly. After finishing high school, she received a bachelor's degree in mass communications from Elizabethtown CollegeElizabethtown College
Elizabethtown College is a small comprehensive college located in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania in Lancaster County. The school was founded in 1899 by members of the Church of the Brethren...
in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania
Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania
Elizabethtown is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Harrisburg. Small factories existed at the turn of the century when the population in 1900 was 1,861. There was a slight increase in the next decade, with 1,970 people living in Elizabethtown in 1910. As of the 2000 census,...
, where she became interested in cinematography
Cinematography
Cinematography is the making of lighting and camera choices when recording photographic images for cinema. It is closely related to the art of still photography...
. She then took a filmmaking course at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
. After returning to Indonesia, she took her first job as an apprentice reporter for Seputar Indonesia
Seputar Indonesia
Seputar Indonesia, English: Around Indonesia, is Indonesia's longest running newscast carried by a private television station. It appeared on RCTI at October 1, 1989 as Seputar Jakarta before it evolved to go nationwide in July 1, 1990...
. She later began directing video clips and commercials with Iguana Productions in the mid 1990s, studying the techniques on her own.
Dinata made her directorial debut with the 1998 made-for-television film Mencari Pelangi (Looking for the Rainbow), which won two national awards. She then started her own production company, Kaylana Shira Film, around 1999. Her first feature film, Ca-bau-kan
Ca-bau-kan
Ca-bau-kan also known as The Courtesan is a 2002 Indonesian romantic drama film, directed by Nia Dinata, and starring Niniek L. Karim, Ferry Salim and Lola Amaria. It was distributed by Kalyana Shira Film and released on February 7, 2002 in Jakarta...
, was produced by Kaylana Shira and dealt with the trials and tribulations of Chinese Indonesians in pre-independence Indonesia. After being trimmed from its original running time of 160 minutes to 124 minutes for commercial viability, the film was critically panned; Dinata herself was satisfied, saying it was "as good as it could be for that short running time". She produced Sekar Ayu Asmara
Sekar Ayu Asmara
-Career:Asmara was born in Jakarta to a diplomat and his wife. She accompanied her father to foreign countries when he received an assignment. While overseas with her family, she attended several colleges....
's debut, Biola Tak Berdawai, the following year.
The next film she directed, 2003's Arisan!
Arisan!
Arisan! is a 2003 Indonesian film that has drawn more than 100,000 viewers. It is the first Indonesian film with a gay theme, and the first Indonesian film to use high-definition color enhancement. It uses a mixture of English, standard Indonesian and Jakartan slang...
(The Gathering), had gay themes and was produced on a small budget. It is considered one of her more commercially successful films, being seen by over 500,000 people, and the first Indonesian film dealing with homosexuality. Its success surprised her, as most of the commercially successful films at the time were horrors and children's films.
After the success of Arisan!, Dinata was able to find more sponsors for her movies. In 2004, she was invited to join the Cannes Young Directors Program, and the following year she produced Joko Anwar
Joko Anwar
-Early life:Joko Anwar was born in 3 January 1976 in a poor kampong in Medan, North Sumatera where he grew up watching kung fu movies and horror films. He had also written and directed plays as a student. He went to Institut Teknologi Bandung to study Aerospace Engineering because his family could...
's directorial debut Janji Joni (Joni's Promise). Another film she directed, 2006's Berbagi Suami (Love for Share), about polygamy in Indonesia, was based on her personal experiences when her father took a second wife.
In 2007, Dinata produced Quickie Express
Quickie Express
Quickie Express is a 2007 Indonesian movie. Directed by Dimas Djayadiningrat, it stars Tora Sudiro, Aming, Sandra Dewi, and Lukman Sardi. It premiered on 22 November 2007 and won Best Film at the Jakarta International Film Festival...
, described in the press as a sex comedy
Sex comedy
Sex comedy is a term for comedy movies with sexual content usually referring to those made in the United Kingdom in the mid 1970s. They may range from comic pornographic films like the Confessions series to relatively innocent comedies that include jokes about sex and other sexual related humour,...
but by Dinata herself as a "love story with social content". This was followed by the short-film collection Perempuan Punya Cerita (Chants of Lotus), which featured one directed by her, Gara-Gara Bola (Soccer Riot), which she produced, and the documentary Pertaruhan (At Stake).
In 2009, Dinata and the Kalyana Shira Foundation she runs started the Indonesian International Children’s Film Festival. The festival showcases both local and international children's films and involves children in all aspects of the festival. , it has been run three times.
, Dinata is producing a sequel to Arisan!. Filming was expected to begin in May, with the release scheduled for 1 December 2011, eight years after the first instalment.
Controversy
Dinata's works, dealing with issues that are often at odds with the social values of the Muslim-majority Indonesia, have been controversial. After the success of Arisan!, she began receiving hate mail that accused her of promoting homosexuality and said that she was going to hell. During the promotional tour for Berbagi Suami, she was accosted by a male audience in MakassarMakassar
Makassar, is the provincial capital of South Sulawesi, Indonesia, and the largest city on Sulawesi Island. From 1971 to 1999, the city was named Ujung Pandang, after a precolonial fort in the city, and the two names are often used interchangeably...
, who disagreed with the perceived anti-polygamy message in the film and stated that she had clearly not researched Islam's views on the practice
Polygyny in Islam
In Islam, polygamy is allowed and practised under certain restricted conditions. Muslim men are allowed to practise polygyny, that is, they can have more than one wife at the same time, up to a total of four...
. Another film she produced, Long Road to Heaven
Long Road to Heaven
Long Road to Heaven is a 2007 Indonesian feature film about the 2002 Bali bombing, by Kalyana Shira Films. The film was directed by Enison Sinaro and written by Wong Wai Leng and Andy Logam-Tan. It tells the story during three different times: the planning a few months before the bombing, its...
, was banned in Bali for a time for its depiction of the 2002 Bali bombings. Despite the controversies arising from her works, Dinata has stated that she will never practice self-censorship
Self-censorship
Self-censorship is the act of censoring or classifying one's own work , out of fear of, or deference to, the sensibilities of others, without overt pressure from any specific party or institution of authority...
.
Although the versions of her works released in theatres and on DVD are censored (the censorship being her "biggest challenge"), Dinata holds onto the original cuts for special viewings. Having dealt with censorship since the beginning of her career and fighting against it in the Constitutional Court of Indonesia
Constitutional Court of Indonesia
The Constitutional Court of Indonesia was established as a consequence of the third amendment to the Constitution of Indonesia, which was ratified by the People's Consultative Assembly on 9 November 2001 -History:...
in 2007, Dinata continues to argue against laws permitting film censorship.
Style
Dinata focuses on the "little people" and her films are often social commentaries. She also includes a female perspective of gender issues in her works. She considers herself an independent filmmaker, and values feature length films over television shows and commercials. Jane Perlez, writing for The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, has noted that Dinata is "more art house than Hollywood", showing fearlessness in addressing pressing Indonesian social issues.
Although she enjoys watching teen movies like Clueless and Cruel Intentions
Cruel Intentions
Cruel Intentions is a 1999 American drama film starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon, and Selma Blair. The film is an adaptation of the 18th-century French epistolary novel Les Liaisons dangereuses by Laclos and is set among wealthy teenagers living in modern New York...
, she does not intend to direct any as "wouldn't have the passion".
Awards and recognition
Perlez described Dinata as Indonesia's "most talented new filmmaker" in 2006. Two of the films she directed (Ca-bau-kan and Berbagi Suami) and one she produced (Biola Tak Berdawai) were submitted for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.- 2004 Citra Award for Best FilmCitra Award for Best FilmThe Citra Award for Best Film is one of the Citra Awards presented annually by the Indonesian Film Festival Committee to artists working in the motion picture industry. During the annual Indonesian Film Festival ceremony, Citra Award for Best Film is reserved as the final award presented and...
for Arisan!Arisan!Arisan! is a 2003 Indonesian film that has drawn more than 100,000 viewers. It is the first Indonesian film with a gay theme, and the first Indonesian film to use high-definition color enhancement. It uses a mixture of English, standard Indonesian and Jakartan slang... - 2004 MTV Indonesia Movie AwardsMTV Indonesia Movie AwardsMTV Indonesia Movie Awards is an awards show in Indonesia which were established in 1995. The show is based on the US MTV Movie Awards format celebrating local film and actors.-Host Cities:-Categories:...
for "Best Director" for Arisan!Arisan!Arisan! is a 2003 Indonesian film that has drawn more than 100,000 viewers. It is the first Indonesian film with a gay theme, and the first Indonesian film to use high-definition color enhancement. It uses a mixture of English, standard Indonesian and Jakartan slang... - 2006 Hawaii International Film FestivalHawaii International Film FestivalThe Hawaii International Film Festival is a film festival held in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It was started in 1981 by Jeannette Paulson Hereniko and has been held annually in the fall for two weeks...
for Best Feature Love for ShareLove for ShareLove for Share is a 2006 Indonesian film directed byNia Di Nata. It was sent to the 79th Academy Awards as Indonesia's official submission for the Best Foreign Language Film, but was not nominated....
Personal life
Dinata is of small physical stature. She is married to a computer engineer and has two children, with whom she enjoys spending time. She also enjoys watching movies and is a fan of Woody AllenWoody Allen
Woody Allen is an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician, author, and playwright. Allen's films draw heavily on literature, sexuality, philosophy, psychology, Jewish identity, and the history of cinema...
.
Filmography
As director- Ca-bau-kanCa-bau-kanCa-bau-kan also known as The Courtesan is a 2002 Indonesian romantic drama film, directed by Nia Dinata, and starring Niniek L. Karim, Ferry Salim and Lola Amaria. It was distributed by Kalyana Shira Film and released on February 7, 2002 in Jakarta...
(The Courtesan; 2002) - Arisan!Arisan!Arisan! is a 2003 Indonesian film that has drawn more than 100,000 viewers. It is the first Indonesian film with a gay theme, and the first Indonesian film to use high-definition color enhancement. It uses a mixture of English, standard Indonesian and Jakartan slang...
(The Gathering; 2003) - Berbagi Suami (Love for Share; 2006)
- Arisan! 2 (The Gathering 2; 2011)
As writer
- Arisan! (The Gathering; 2003)
- Meraih Mimpi (Chasing Dreams; 2009; an adaptation of Sing to the DawnSing to the DawnSing to the Dawn is a 1975 story by Minfong Ho, which was originally published as a short story and won the first prize in the Council of Interracial Books for Children. It was later extended to a full-length novel.-Plot summary:...
) - Berbagi Suami (Love for Share; 2006)
- Arisan! 2 (The Gathering 2; 2011)
As producer
- Ca-bau-kan (The Courtesan; 2002)
- Biola Tak Berdawai (The Stringless Violin; 2003)
- Janji Joni (Joni's Promise; 2005)
- Quickie ExpressQuickie ExpressQuickie Express is a 2007 Indonesian movie. Directed by Dimas Djayadiningrat, it stars Tora Sudiro, Aming, Sandra Dewi, and Lukman Sardi. It premiered on 22 November 2007 and won Best Film at the Jakarta International Film Festival...
(2007) - Long Road to HeavenLong Road to HeavenLong Road to Heaven is a 2007 Indonesian feature film about the 2002 Bali bombing, by Kalyana Shira Films. The film was directed by Enison Sinaro and written by Wong Wai Leng and Andy Logam-Tan. It tells the story during three different times: the planning a few months before the bombing, its...
(2007)