On The Record: Indonesian Literary Figures

Indonesia’s writers have been instrumental in the creation of national identity, the encouragement of debate about the direction of Indonesia’s future, and the interpretation of Indonesia’s past. The history of modern Indonesian literature, especially in the twentieth century, is marked by incredible variety and vitality, despite lengthy periods of political repression. From the colonial past to the present, Indonesian writers have also shown incredible versatility and maintained a consistent ability to cross genres.

"On the Record: Indonesian Literary Figures" features filmed interviews with prominent Indonesian authors, poets and playwrights. Each film in the series focuses on a specific individual writer and offers viewers a direct look at the people behind the books. All films (stock footage and final/edited versions) are in Indonesian. Each final/edited film in the series has a runtime of approximately 24-30 minutes and is in Indonesian with English subtitles. A film log (in Indonesian) is also available as a text document. This film series is part of the Lontar Digital Library, which provides preservation and access to materials produced and gathered by the Lontar Foundation over its 25+ year history including:

Books and journals: publications by Lontar, Amanah and Godown (imprints of the Lontar Foundation), as well as information about Lontar’s library holdings (a collections of over 3,000 books, periodicals and other research materials related to Indonesian history, literature, drama, language, poetry and other topics;
Video: films from On the Record: Indonesian Literary Figures, Indonesian Performance Traditions, and Wayang Kulit/Shadow Puppet Theater Series (including stock footage and final versions).
Audio interviews with Indonesian writers and eyewitness accounts of significant events in Indonesian history;
Images: archival photographs of traditional manuscripts, colonial-era postcards, and historical images from the New Order to the present.

The Lontar Digital Library uses linked data and the Semantic Web to share information about our collections with the online community on the Internet. You can find information about Lontar materials and authors in Freebase, OpenLibrary and Wikipedia.

: Biography of Rambe, Hanna, 1940-; Final edited version of Hanna Rambe, directed by Tonny Trimarsanto. Hanna Rambe (b. 1940) is a writer and journalist whose works portray her love and close proximity with nature and the environment. This film is the final edited version of the biography of Hanna Rambe filmed at author's home in Jakarta, Indonesia as part of the On the Record: Indonesian Literary Figures series which features interviews with prominent Indonesian authors, poets and playwrights. This film is in Indonesian with English subtitles and transcripts in English and Indonesian are also available. About the On the Record: Indonesian Literary Figures series: in an effort to promote knowledge about Indonesian literature and its creators, Lontar has thus far produced 24 films on Indonesian writers. These films offer viewers a direct look at the people behind the books. We are able to hear, directly from the writers’ mouths, their reminiscences and their thoughts. Each film is approximately 24 - 29 minutes in length, additional raw footage is available through the Lontar Digital Library., This item digitized and made available online with funds provided by United States Department of Education, TICFIA (Technological Innovation and Cooperation for Foreign Information) Grant P337A090018.

: Biography of Mihardja, Achdiat K. (Achdiat Karta), 1911-2010; Final edited version of Suara dari Jaman Pergerakan/Voice from the Revolution, directed by Tinuk Yampolsky. Achdiat K. Mihardja (b. 1911), by 1940, had already become an important figure amongst Indonesian writers. His novel, Atheist, is one of his most important work, and has earned him a highly-respected position amongst Indonesian literary circles. This film is the final edited version of the biography of Achdiat K. Mihardja filmed at author's home in Canberra, Australia, as part of the On the Record: Indonesian Literary Figures series which features interviews with prominent Indonesian authors, poets and playwrights. This film is in Indonesian with English subtitles and transcripts in English and Indonesian are also available. About the On the Record: Indonesian Literary Figures series: in an effort to promote knowledge about Indonesian literature and its creators, Lontar has thus far produced 24 films on Indonesian writers. These films offer viewers a direct look at the people behind the books. We are able to hear, directly from the writers’ mouths, their reminiscences and their thoughts. Each film is approximately 24 - 29 minutes in length, additional raw footage is available through the Lontar Digital Library., This item digitized and made available online with funds provided by United States Department of Education, TICFIA (Technological Innovation and Cooperation for Foreign Information) Grant P337A090018.

: Biography of Poyk, Gerson; Final edited version of Nostalgia Nusatenggara/Nostalgia Nusatenggara, directed by Chandra Tanzil. Gerson Poyk (b. 1931), writer, journalist, and also teacher, positions himself as one of the most shining writers from the East of Indonesia. This film is the final edited version of the biography of Gerson Poyk filmed in Nusatenggara, Indonesia, as part of the On the Record: Indonesian Literary Figures series which features interviews with prominent Indonesian authors, poets and playwrights. This film is in Indonesian with English subtitles and transcripts in English and Indonesian are also available. About the On the Record: Indonesian Literary Figures series: in an effort to promote knowledge about Indonesian literature and its creators, Lontar has thus far produced 24 films on Indonesian writers. These films offer viewers a direct look at the people behind the books. We are able to hear, directly from the writers’ mouths, their reminiscences and their thoughts. Each film is approximately 24 - 29 minutes in length, additional raw footage is available through the Lontar Digital Library., This item digitized and made available online with funds provided by United States Department of Education, TICFIA (Technological Innovation and Cooperation for Foreign Information) Grant P337A090018.

: Biography of Tohari, Ahmad, 1948-; Final edited version of Kesaksian Tanpa Batas/Eternal Witness, directed by Shanty Harmayn. Ahmad Tohari (b. 1948), despite having grown up amidst a very strong Moslem background, has proven himself capable of creating the trilogy Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk, set totally outside his Moslem upbringing. This film is the final edited version of the biography of Ahmad Tohari filmed at author's home in Banyumas, Jawa Tengah, Indonesia, as part of the On the Record: Indonesian Literary Figures series which features interviews with prominent Indonesian authors, poets and playwrights. This film is in Indonesian with English subtitles and transcripts in English and Indonesian are also available. About the On the Record: Indonesian Literary Figures series: in an effort to promote knowledge about Indonesian literature and its creators, Lontar has thus far produced 24 films on Indonesian writers. These films offer viewers a direct look at the people behind the books. We are able to hear, directly from the writers’ mouths, their reminiscences and their thoughts. Each film is approximately 24 - 29 minutes in length, additional raw footage is available through the Lontar Digital Library., This item digitized and made available online with funds provided by United States Department of Education, TICFIA (Technological Innovation and Cooperation for Foreign Information) Grant P337A090018.

: Biography of Kuntowijoyo, 1943-2005; Final edited version of Dua Dunia Kuntowijoyo/The Two Worlds of Kuntowijoyo, directed by Chandra Tanzil. Kuntowijoyo (b. 1943) was raised in a Javanese moslem family. He became interested in literature upon entering his teenage years and now embraces both his professions as a historian and writer passionately. This film is the final edited version of the biography of Kuntowijoyo filmed at author's home in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, as part of the On the Record: Indonesian Literary Figures series which features interviews with prominent Indonesian authors, poets and playwrights. This film is in Indonesian with English subtitles and transcripts in English and Indonesian are also available. About the On the Record: Indonesian Literary Figures series: in an effort to promote knowledge about Indonesian literature and its creators, Lontar has thus far produced 24 films on Indonesian writers. These films offer viewers a direct look at the people behind the books. We are able to hear, directly from the writers’ mouths, their reminiscences and their thoughts. Each film is approximately 24 - 29 minutes in length, additional raw footage is available through the Lontar Digital Library., This item digitized and made available online with funds provided by United States Department of Education, TICFIA (Technological Innovation and Cooperation for Foreign Information) Grant P337A090018., Final edited version of Dua Dunia Kuntowijoyo/The Two Worlds of Kuntowijoyo, directed by Chandra Tanzil. Kuntowijoyo (b. 1943) was raised in a Javanese moslem family. He became interested in literature upon entering his teenage years and now embraces both his professions as a historian and writer passionately. This film is the final edited version of the biography of Kuntowijoyo filmed at author's home in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, as part of the On the Record: Indonesian Literary Figures series which features interviews with prominent Indonesian authors, poets and playwrights. This film is in Indonesian with English subtitles and transcripts in English and Indonesian are also available. About the On the Record: Indonesian Literary Figures series: in an effort to promote knowledge about Indonesian literature and its creators, Lontar has thus far produced 24 films on Indonesian writers. These films offer viewers a direct look at the people behind the books. We are able to hear, directly from the writers’ mouths, their reminiscences and their thoughts. Each film is approximately 24 - 29 minutes in length, additional raw footage is available through the Lontar Digital Library., This item digitized and made available online with funds provided by United States Department of Education, TICFIA (Technological Innovation and Cooperation for Foreign Information) Grant P337A090018.