Abstract

Indonesia is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. A unique cultural diversity has developed on its countless islands – yet the Western world knows surprisingly little about Indonesian culture. In particular, hardly anything is known about Indonesian film, which, as social seismograph, has the potential to communicate the views specific to this culture to the rest of the world. This book, with its contributions from renowned Australian, Dutch, German and Indonesian film experts, closes a gap by introducing this Asian film culture, which is increasingly gaining importance on an international level. Personal and biographical backgrounds are illuminated by interviews with the filmmakers themselves, in which they discuss their movies and offer insights into their viewpoints. By providing a multitude of perspectives, the book offers its readers access to this previously foreign film culture.