I ndonesia’s documentary film “Harmony in Diversity” and feature film “Denias, Hum Above the Cloud,” which is based on a real life story, marked the opening day of the Asian Film Festival 2009 at the Indonesian Consul General’s residence on Saturday night.
The documentary focused on the harmony of intercultural and interfaith cooperation among the people of Indonesia’s rural Yogikarta. The feature film that followed drew loud cheers from the audience.
Denias is a poor farmer’s son living in Aroanop, a small remote village around the Jayawijaya Mountain of Western Papua Island. Denias’ world is simple, playing and going to school, besides helping his father in farming.
He is smarter than the other boys in the village and his teachers, temporarily assigned to educate the unlettered community, encourage him to continue his education.
His deep desire to get a better education leads him to leave the village and traverse fields, mountains and rivers for days to reach a school in the nearest city. There, Denias continues to struggle as a common ethnic child.
He is not able to go to school due to his lowly status as a peasant. Regardless of the hardships he faces, Denias never gives up and with the help of two friends he finds the strength to pursue his goal.
The film, based on a true story, tells the tale of Denias’ determination to leave ignorance behind and fulfill his dream. The real Denias eventually won a scholarship and is continued his education in Darwin, Australia. The 109-minute English subtitled movie was released in 2006.
Fourteen Asian countries, including Saudi Arabia, are featuring their documentaries and feature films at the 13-day second film festival organized by Asian Consuls General Club (ACGC).
The festival featured Thai documentary on tourism and feature film “Wonderful Town” yesterday.
China will have its documentary “China in Harmony” and feature film “The Road Home” tomorrow, followed by Japan, Pakistan, Malaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Singapore, Korea and India, which will have their screenings on each subsequent day till March 19.
Ambassador Mohammed Ahmed Tayyeb, director general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Makkah Region, who opened the festival described it as an important event that could help Asian countries to know the richness of each other’s culture and heritage.
He lauded the efforts of ACGC for staging the festival for the second year in succession and hoped that such events would contribute toward building the bonds of peace and friendship among the countries.
Among those present were Saud Al-Sheikhi, director general of the Ministry of Culture and information, Makkah Region, and consuls general of all the 13 countries.
Japanese Consul General Toshimitsu Ishigure, who is also the dean of the ACGC, said the purpose of such events is to highlight the cultures and heritages of different countries and their peoples.
“We believe that through such film festivals we will be able to understand each other better and contribute toward promoting mutual respect, understanding and peaceful coexistence,” he added.
He thanked Indonesian Consul General Gatot Abdullah Mansyur for extending his cooperation by offering the use of his auditorium for the festival for the second time. Reviewing the ACGC’s activities since its inception in 2004, Ishigure said the organization held an Asian festival of food, music and exhibition in 2006. The first Asian film festival was staged last year and a bowling tournament last month. Ishigure thanked Mamdouh Salem, executive manage of Rowad Media Est. for providing Saudi documentary and feature films, and Singapore Airlines, Garuda Indonesia and ATEICO Communications for extending their cooperation in organizing the festival.