Revolusi! will also screen rare archival film material. Historian and NTR director Gerda Jansen Hendriks will answer the question as to what Dutch audiences didn’t see as well as how the Dutch authorities consciously utilised films as propaganda to influence public opinion. Filmmaker Monique Verhoeckx will talk about Biak Stories, a new project that makes use of archives.
still from Merah Putih (Red and White) (Yadi Sugandi, ID 2009)
Films, talks & events
Revolusi!
The Indonesian revolution depicted
11 — 29 March 2022
still from Lewat Djam Malam (After the Curfew) (Usmar Ismail, ID 1954)
Revolusi! depicts the Indonesian people’s political struggle and the legacy of colonialism from multiple perspectives. Alongside the freedom films from Indonesia, Eye will also screen films by Dutch directors and artists with a critical view of history.
Revolusi! at the Rijksmuseum and Revolusi! at Eye: both institutions will introduce you to the Indonesian war of decolonisation. The film museum will screen a programme of Indonesian ‘battle films’ of which some have never been seen in the Netherlands before.
still from Tjoet Nja' Dhien (Eros Djarot, ID 1988)
still from Lewat Djam Malam (After the Curfew) (Usmar Ismail, ID 1954)
A chaotic, violent period followed the declaration of independence in Indonesia (the ‘proklamasi’) of 17 August 1945. The Netherlands sent a military intervention force after which the struggle for decolonisation (1945 - 1949) became ever more intense.
Revolusi! shows how the new Republic of Indonesia looked for national identity in all manner of genre films which also shed light on the historic roots of the struggle for independence.
still from Kadet 1947 (Rahabi Mandra & Winaldo Artaraya Swastia, ID 2021)
still from Tjoet Nja' Dhien (Eros Djarot, ID 1988)
The ‘film perjuangan’ (battle films) are much loved in Indonesia. A number even have the status of Indonesian classics and are part of popular culture’s canon, such as After the Curfew (1954) by Usmar Ismail and Eros Djarot’s epic about the war in Aceh, Tjoet Nja’ Dhien (1988).
At Eye, these films will be screened alongside the works of Fons Rademakers (Max Havelaar), Hans Hylkema (Oeroeg) and Jim Taihattu (De Oost). All three directors were critical about the colonial era. For instance, the release of De Oost reignited heated debate about Dutch violence during the decolonisation period.
still from De Oost (Jim Taihuttu, NL/ID/BE 2021)
still from Oeroeg (Hans Hylkema, BE/DE/NL 1993)
still from Kadet 1947 (Rahabi Mandra & Winaldo Artaraya Swastia, ID 2021)
Film perjuangan
Arnoud Arps is a media and culture scholar at the University of Amsterdam. He will give introductions to several film screenings. For our online magazine, Arps wrote about Indonesian films that deal with the struggle for independence.
still from Ze noemen me Baboe (They Call Me Babu) (Sandra Beerends, NL 2019)
Eye Film Player
On the Eye Film Player you can see three related films: They Call Me Babu (Sandra Beerends) about Javanese nanny Alima; the epic, anti-colonial Tjoet Nja' Dhien (Eros Djarot); and Flat Earth and Treasure Mountain, both by Monique Verhoeckx.
Films, talks & events
In the coming weeks you can see here when the screenings are and buy your ticket.
still from Max Havelaar (Fons Rademakers, NL/ID 1976)
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