Biola Tak Berdawai

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Biola Tak Berdawai
Directed bySekar Ayu Asmara
Written bySekar Ayu Asmara
Produced bySeto Harjojudanto
Sekar Ayu Asmara
Nia Dinata
Afi Shamara
StarringRia Irawan
Nicholas Saputra
Jajang C. Noer
CinematographyGerman G. Mintapradja
Edited byDewi S. Alibasah
Music byAddie MS
Distributed byWarner Indonesia
Release date
  • 22 March 2003 (2003-03-22)
Running time
97 minutes
CountryIndonesia
LanguageIndonesian

Biola Tak Berdawai (English: The Stringless Violin) is an

Best Foreign Language Film
.

Plot

Renjani (

autism and brain damage, is responding. This convinces her that music therapy could promote healing. Renjani later asks Bhisma (Nicholas Saputra), a violinist that she met by chance, to assist him; they later fall in love. After Bhisma writes a song, "Biola Tak Berdawai", for Dewa, he prepares for a recital. Renjani and Dewa attend the recital, but Renjani faints and is rushed to the hospital; the cause is later discovered to be cervical cancer
. After a week in a coma, Renjani dies; at her grave, Dewa plays "Biola Tak Berdawai" as Bhisma listens.

Production

Biola Tak Berdawai was directed by Sekar Ayu Asmara, a Jakarta-born self-taught director.[1] It was her directorial debut.[2] Asmara also produced the film and wrote the lyrics to the theme song.[3]

According to Asmara, Ria Irawan, Nicholas Saputra and Jajang C. Noer immediately accepted the offer to play in the film. However, the role of Dewa was filled by Dicky Lebrianto after casting in both Yogyakarta and Jakarta; she notes that it was difficult as the person who played him had to be a non-handicapped child capable of acting like he had a handicap.[4]

Addie MS, a musician cum conductor from the Twilite Orchestra and Asmara's long-time friend, was chosen to compose the film's music.[5][4] The Victorian Philharmonic Orchestra in Melbourne, Australia, provided the music.[4]

The movie was shot in Yogyakarta and the surrounding area over a period of 25 days in 2002.[3]

Themes

According to Asmara, Biola Tak Berdawai is "a metaphor for the multiple- handicapped babies" that symbolizes the souls of people who have never known love, and those whose hearts have been scarred by it.[1][4] She also notes that the film conveys the message that one must be ready to sacrifice things for love.[4]

Release

Biola Tak Berdawai premiered on 22 March 2003,

Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. However, it was not accepted as a nominee.[1] The film was later novelised by Seno Gumira Ajidarma.[7]

Hera Diani of The Jakarta Post gave the movie two and a half out of four stars, writing that Noer's character was "ridiculous", with "bad makeup, unnecessary histrionics and absurd statements on how life and everything in it are a riddle". Irawan's character was described as "sometimes unconvincing". Regarding the film itself, she wrote that the dialogue was at times pat and some scenes were illogical. However, she praised the cinematography and score, as well as Lebrianto's portrayal of Dewa.[5]

See also

  • List of Indonesian submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film

References

Footnotes
Bibliography
  • Asmara, Sekar Ayu. "Notes" (in Indonesian). Kalyana Shira Film. Archived from the original on 16 May 2007. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  • "'Biola' up for Oscar nomination". The Jakarta Post. 26 October 2003. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  • Diani, Hera (6 April 2003). "'Biola Tak Berdawai' not all stringless". The Jakarta Post. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  • Imanjaya, Ekky (2006). A to Z about Indonesian film (in Indonesian). Bandung: DAR! Mizan. .
  • "Production Summary" (in Indonesian). Kalyana Shira Film. Archived from the original on 16 May 2007. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  • Stokoe, Sara (23 January 2004). "Asia Pacific Arts: Indonesia's Submission for Best Foreign Language Film (Academy Award)". University of California, Los Angeles. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  • "Theatrical Release" (in Indonesian). Kalyana Shira Film. Archived from the original on 16 May 2007. Retrieved 17 September 2011.

External links