Herlina Christine Natalia Hakim (born 25 December 1956) is an Indonesian actress, film producer, and activist. Born to a devout Muslim family of mixed-race background in Jambi, she grew up in Yogyakarta, aspiring to be an architect or psychologist. This changed after she was discovered by Teguh Karya for his 1973 movie Cinta Pertama, a role which garnered her a Citra Award for Best Actress and convinced her to follow a career in acting. Since then, she has starred in numerous films, including 1977's Badai Pasti Berlalu and 1988's Tjoet Nja' Dhien; she also had a minor role in the 2010 Hollywood movie Eat Pray Love. As of 2011[update], she has won six Citra Awards, received a lifetime achievement award from the Cinemanila International Film Festival, and served as a member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival.
Hakim began branching out from acting in 1998, beginning with roles as producer of Daun di Atas Bantal and Pasir Berbisik and eventually spreading to documentary filmmaking and being an activist for education and autism. Beginning in 2008, she has served as Indonesia's goodwill ambassador to UNESCO, focusing on educational issues.
Biography
Hakim was born on 25 December 1956 in Kuala Tungkal, Jambi, and was raised in Yogyakarta, as the daughter of Oma Nurhadiaty and Hakim Thahar.[1][2] She is of mixed descent, with her relatives coming from Padang, Aceh, Banten, Pekalongan, Madiun, and the Middle East; this caused her to question her identity as a child and teenager.[3] Despite being devout Muslims, her parents named her Christine and Natalia because she was born on Christmas Day.[4] In 2023, Hakim revealed that her given name was after a German missionary physician who helped her mother give birth to her in a remote area of Jambi.[5]
Originally, Hakim did not intend to be an actress, but an architect or psychologist. However, she was cast in Teguh Karya's 1973 film Cinta Pertama after he saw pictures of her modelling in a magazine; despite only modelling to help her friend and not wanting to act, she was unable to decline Karya's request for fear of being impolite to such a "warm and friendly" person. She later described Karya as having "reeled [her] in, slowly, slowly, like a fisherman," and considered leaving acting after wrapping up filming. Her work in Cinta Pertama garnered her a Citra Award for Best Actress, which convinced her to continue acting.[3] Karya later told her that he had fought with his producer over her casting; the producer expressed concern that Hakim was "too thin and had no chest," to which Karya replied "are we selling a film or are we selling breasts?"[6]
The following year, Hakim starred in another Karya-directed film, Kawin Lari (Elope). The experience gave her a greater understanding of acting, causing her to "see life from a different perspective in studying [her] character." It was followed by a role in 1976's Sesuatu yang Indah (Something Beautiful), directed by Wim Umboh. Sesuatu yang Indah was the first film in which Hakim used her own voice; previously, her voice had been dubbed by Titi Qadarsih in previous movies; Hakim's own voice had been considered "too heavy."[6] The next year, she starred in Badai Pasti Berlalu, appearing on the poster and the cover of the soundtrack album.[7]
Hakim presented 14 Indonesian films at the Nantes Three Continents Festival in November 1983; she had acted in half of them. Two years later she became an observer at the Cannes Film Festival, striking up a working relationship with Pierre Risient, who later assisted her in bringing her films to Cannes.[4]
One of these was Eros Djarot's 1988 film Tjoet Nja' Dhien, in which Hakim was cast as Acehnese guerilla leader Cut Nyak Dhien. It won the 1989 Cannes Film Festival award for Best International Film,[8] being screened in Le Semaine de Critique.[4] Hakim later described the role as a "huge honour" and "very challenging"; she has credited the role for answering her questions on her identity.[3] The film later became Indonesia's submission to the 62nd Academy Awards for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.[9]
Hakim screened her first work as a producer, Daun di Atas Bantal (Leaf on a Pillow) during Un Certain Regard at Cannes ten years later.[4] When producing the film, she chose young director Garin Nugroho, whom she perceived to be highly talented; she also took the leading role. During production, she made a mistake that required the reshooting of all footage. In an attempt to cut expenses, she had saved all cans of exposed film to send to the developing lab at once; the lab then notified her that a technical fault with the camera had rendered all of it unusable and that the problem could have been detected earlier had she sent each can as it was filmed.[3]
Another production, 2001's Pasir Berbisik (Whispering Sands), went more smoothly. The film, which Hakim co-produced and played the leading role, was screened at the Deauville Asian Film Festival.[4] The following year she was appointed to the jury of the Cannes Film Festival, along with Michelle Yeoh.[3] In 2005 she received a special tribute during the opening ceremony of the 7th Deauville Asian Film Festival.[4]
In 2003, Hakim began to work with RCTI and Metro TV on the TV show Untukmu Guru (For You, Teacher).[10] Five years later, Hakim was selected Indonesia's voluntary goodwill ambassador for UNESCO; she has used the position to promote education, push for education reforms in Indonesia, and promote disaster relief programs in South-East Asia.[11]
Hakim's first Hollywood experience came in 2010, Hakim played Wayan, a Balinesejamu seller, alongside Julia Roberts in Eat Pray Love. Arriving in Bali three days before shooting, she found herself rushed to read the script, be fitted, and rid herself of her green hair. She met with the person her character was based on to prepare for her role.[3] That same year, Hakim accepted a FIAPF Award for her "outstanding achievements"; she compared the award to Viagra, saying that it "make[s] [her] stronger to satisfy [audiences]".[3]
Hakim is also a documentary filmmaker. She has made a documentary on the Indonesian UNESCO World Heritage Sites,[3] and in 2011 produced a documentary on autism to "educate the public" that was released to coincide with World Autism Awareness Day.[12]As of May 2011[update], she is producing a documentary on the Dayak people of Kalimantan. She is considering making a fiction film based on their culture.[13]
Beginning in the early 2000s, Hakim became an activist, with a focus on education. After the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, she went on numerous humanitarian trips to Aceh.[10][4] She later founded the Christine Hakim feature, a foundation to promote public education about autism. She has urged the government to eliminate misconceptions regarding autism, calling the refusal to accept autistic students in public schools "a violation of human rights".[12]
Personal life
In 2000, Hakim married Dutchman Jeroen Lezer, an actor, film sales director and writer. They live in Cibubur, East Jakarta, with Hakim's mother and daughter Shena;[10] Bruce Emond of The Jakarta Post describes her home as being "like a lush secret garden amid the creeping suburbia".[6]
Hakim generally avoids discussing her personal life with the press and is unwilling to discuss topics that are not of public interest. In 1992 she said that "90 percent of the journalists here aren't interested in [her] films, they just want to know about [her] private life."[10]
In 2009, Hakim's father died due to hydronephrosis and several complications at the age of 79, and was buried at Tanah Kusir Cemetery.[16]
Legacy
Hakim has been described as the "grande dame of Indonesian cinema"[4] as well as "Indonesia's foremost actress".[6] She has also received a lifetime achievement award at the Cinemanila International Film Festival.[17] Hakim has refused a position on the Asia Pacific Screen Awards numerous times, due to being unable to reconcile her schedule with the awards.[3]
Southeast Asian cinema is the film industry and films produced in, or by natives of Southeast Asia. It includes any films produced in Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The majority of the films made in this region came from the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia where its filmmaking industries in these countries are already well-established with film directors such as Lino Brocka, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, and Joko Anwar are well-known outside of the region. Notable production studios in Southeast Asia include Star Cinema, Viva Films, TBA Studios and Reality Entertainment in the Philippines, GDH 559 and Sahamongkol Film International in Thailand, Rapi Films in Indonesia, Astro Shaw in Malaysia, Encore Films in Singapore, and Studio 68 in Vietnam
Daun di Atas Bantal is a 1998 Indonesian film directed by Garin Nugroho. It is one of the most acclaimed films from Indonesia in recent years and was the country's proposal for an Academy Award. It was also screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival.
Marga Tjoa was an Indonesian popular romance and children's literature writer better known by the pen name Marga T. One of Indonesia's most prolific writers, she first became well known in 1971 for her serial Karmila which was published as a book in 1973 and later made into a film. As of 2006, she had published 38 novels.
Tjoet Nja' Dhien is a 1988 Indonesian film directed by Eros Djarot and starring Piet Burnama, Christine Hakim, Rudy Wowor, and Slamet Rahardjo. Based on the life's story of female Acehnese guerrilla leader Cut Nyak Dhien, it focuses on the six-year period between her second husband, Teuku Umar's death and her capture by the Dutch colonial army. Tjoet Nja' Dhien was released to critical acclaim, winning 9 Citra Awards, and was screened at the Selection de la Semaine de la Critique in Cannes, 1989. It also became Indonesia's submission to the 62nd Academy Awards for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but was not nominated.
Badai Pasti Berlalu is an Indonesian novel written by Marga T and published in 1974. It spawned award-winning film, music album, and a song of the same name.
Badai Pasti Berlalu is a 1977 Indonesian film based on the novel of the same name by Marga T. It was directed by Teguh Karya and starred Christine Hakim, Roy Marten and Slamet Rahardjo.
Berlian Hutauruk is an Indonesian soprano of Batak descent. Beginning her career singing religious music in church, Hutauruk later sang for movie soundtracks and released a solo album. She is best known for singing "Badai Pasti Berlalu", which Rolling Stone Indonesia selected as the third-best Indonesian song of all time in 2009.
Erros Djarot is an Indonesian songwriter, director and politician of Bantenese descent. Beginning his music career with the soundtrack of Kawin Lari in 1976, Djarot became famous with the success of Badai Pasti Berlalu and its soundtrack album. In 1988, he directed Tjoet Nja' Dhien which received nine Citra Awards and was Indonesia's submission to the 62nd Academy Awards for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. In the late 1990s, Djarot entered politics, later forming the Bung Karno National Party in 2002.
Teguh Karya was an Indonesian film director. Starting his entertainment career in theatre, he made his directorial debut in 1971 with Wadjah Seorang Laki-Laki in which he also wrote the screenplay. He later directed numerous critically acclaimed films, including Cinta Pertama, Badai Pasti Berlalu, and November 1828. In 2001, Karya died from complications from a 1998 stroke.
Cinta Pertama is a 1973 Indonesian romance film directed by Teguh Karya. Starring Christine Hakim, Slamet Rahardjo, and N. Riantiarno, it tells the story of Ade, a young woman who falls in love with Bastian, an ex-convict, yet is engaged to Johny, who raped Bastian's wife and caused her to be killed in the resulting fight. It was well-received both critically and commercially, garnering five Citra Awards and launching Christine Hakim's career. Tabloid Bintang has listed it as the 19th best Indonesian film of all time.
Slamet Rahardjo Djarot is an Indonesian actor, director, and screenwriter of Javanese-Bantenese descent. He is the elder brother of director, songwriter, and politician, Eros Djarot. Since his directorial debut in 1979 with Rembulan dan Matahari, he has directed and/or written twelve films; one of which, Langitku, Rumahku, was Indonesia's submission to the 63rd Academy Awards in 1991.
Roy Wicaksono Abdul Salam is an Indonesian actor.
Nicky Nastiti Karya Dewi, better known by her stage name Nicky Astria, is an Indonesian musician.
Laura Basuki is an Indonesian model and actress of mixed Javanese, Chinese and Vietnamese descent.
Ponirah Terpidana is a 1984 Indonesian drama film directed by Slamet Rahardjo. Starring Nani Vidia, Rahardjo, and Ray Sahetapy, it follows a young woman named Ponirah who becomes a prostitute and is arrested for the murder of a rich businessman. The film, which combined traditional and contemporary elements, was a critical success in Indonesia. It won three Citra Awards at the 1984 Indonesian Film Festival, from a total of eleven nominations.
Miecke Marie De Rijder was an Indonesian actress, model, and politician who won three Citra Awards. She was crowned the best female antagonist in Indonesian film industry along with Suzzanna and Ruth Pelupessy. Wijaya began her career as a teenager and soared to popularity by partaking a role in Usmar Ismail's commercially successful Tiga Dara, her name became increasingly popular after starring in the soap opera Losmen in 1987.
Niniek L. Karim is an Indonesian actress who has won two Citra Awards for Best Supporting Actress.
Marjolein Tambayong, better known by her stage name Rima Melati or by her nickname Lientje, was an Indonesian actress, model, and singer. She appeared in close to one hundred feature films, including works by Wim Umboh, Sjumandjaja, and Teguh Karya. She received multiple awards, including a PWI Award for Best Actress for Noda Tak Berampun, a Citra Award for Best Leading Actress for Intan Berduri, and five nominations for the Citra Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Mouly Surya is an Indonesian film director and screenwriter.
Impetigore is a 2019 horror film written and directed by Joko Anwar. The film stars Tara Basro, Marissa Anita, Christine Hakim, Asmara Abigail, and Ario Bayu. The film follows Maya (Basro), who travels with her friend Dini (Anita) to her remote ancestral village seeking an inheritance.
Amburadul; Darsono, Budiono; Doni, Putu (18 November 1989). "Pacar ketinggalan citra". Tempo Interaktif (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
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