List of film directors of the Dutch East Indies

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The Wong brothers (one pictured) were the first ethnic Chinese directors in the Indies. A Wong Brother KR 30 April 1947.jpg
The Wong brothers (one pictured) were the first ethnic Chinese directors in the Indies.
Bachtiar Effendi, the earliest recorded native Indonesian director Bachtiar Effendi p104.JPG
Bachtiar Effendi, the earliest recorded native Indonesian director
Andjar Asmara, a journalist, became a director in 1940. Andjar Asmara p17.JPG
Andjar Asmara, a journalist, became a director in 1940.
Usmar Ismail, who made his debut in 1949, would later be called the father of Indonesian film. Usmar Ismail Perfini booklet p29-restoration.JPG
Usmar Ismail, who made his debut in 1949, would later be called the father of Indonesian film.

Twenty-nine people are recorded as having directed fictional films in the Dutch East Indies between 1926, when L. Heuveldorp released Loetoeng Kasaroeng , the colony's first domestically produced film, [2] and 1949, when the Dutch formally recognised Indonesia's sovereignty after a four-year revolution, leaving the Dutch East Indies defunct. [lower-alpha 1] [3] Thirteen directors active in the Indies continued to direct films after 1950, including Usmar Ismail: his 1950 film Darah dan Doa (The Long March) is generally considered the first truly Indonesian film. [4]

Contents

The colony's first directors, L. Heuveldorp and George Krugers, were of European or mixed descent. [5] They were followed by ethnic Chinese soon after, when Nelson Wong made his debut in 1928 with Lily van Java ; [6] other Chinese directors included Lie Tek Swie (1929), Wong's brothers Joshua and Othniel (1930), and The Teng Chun (1931). Ethnic Chinese directors dominated the colony's cinema for the remainder of its existence. [7] The first native director, Bachtiar Effendi, made his debut in 1932 with the talkie Njai Dasima ; [8] another native director would not appear until Andjar Asmara and Rd Ariffien made their debuts in 1940. [9] [10]

The directors active in the Indies came from various backgrounds. Some, like The Teng Chun, Fred Young, and the Wongs, had been interested in film since their youth. [11] Others, such as Njoo Cheong Seng and Andjar, had a background in theatre. [12] Still others, including Albert Balink and Ismail, were journalists by trade. [13] [14] They were all men; the first woman to direct a film in the Indonesian archipelago, Ratna Asmara, made her debut after the Indies were dissolved. [15] Between them, the 29 men directed some 103 films, at times working collaboratively; it was not unusual for them to take more than one role in production. [7] However, they generally had less creative control than the producer. [16]

The following list is sorted alphabetically by default, with further sorting capability in certain fields; owing to differing naming conventions between cultures, not all entries are sorted by last name. The list only counts fictional films directed by the subjects and does not include films from other genres or films in which the person held other roles. The names of persons credited with an abbreviated name are written in full, where available.

Film directors

Key
†Indicates continued directorial activity after 1949
Film directors of the Dutch East Indies
NameFictional film debutDebut yearFilms directed before 1949Total films directedRef(s).
Andjar Asmara Kartinah 194055 [17]
Raden Ariffien † Harta Berdarah 1940432 [lower-alpha 2] [10]
Albert Balink Pareh 193522 [18]
Boen Kim Nam Mega Mendoeng 194111 [19]
Ph. Carli De Stem des Bloeds 193033 [20] [21]
Henry L. Duarte†Selendang Delima1941112 [lower-alpha 3] [22]
Bachtiar Effendi † Njai Dasima 193214 [23]
Mannus Franken Pareh 193522 [lower-alpha 4] [24]
L. Heuveldorp Loetoeng Kasaroeng 192611 [25]
R. Hu† Harta Berdarah 194024 [26]
Usmar Ismail † Harta Karun 1949228 [lower-alpha 5] [27]
Jo An Djan † Kedok Ketawa 194056 [28] [29]
Jo Eng Sek Pah Wongso Pendekar Boediman 194033 [30]
B. KoesoemaDjatoeh Berkait194411 [lower-alpha 6] [31]
George Krugers Eulis Atjih 192733 [32]
Lie Tek Swie Njai Dasima 192966 [33]
Njoo Cheong Seng † Kris Mataram 194058 [34]
Inoe Perbatasari † Elang Darat 194135 [35]
Roestam Sutan Palindih Di Menara194333 [lower-alpha 7] [36] [37]
Mohammad Said Hamid Junid †Boenga Sembodja1942319 [lower-alpha 8] [38]
M. H. SchillingSinjo Tjo Main di Film193122 [39]
Sutan Usman Karim Panggilan Darah 194122 [lower-alpha 9] [40]
Tan Tjoei Hock Dasima194099 [lower-alpha 10] [41]
The Teng Chun † Boenga Roos dari Tjikembang 19311617 [42]
Joshua Wong †Lari ke Arab19301012 [lower-alpha 11] [43] [44]
Nelson Wong Lily van Java 192866 [lower-alpha 11] [43] [45]
Othniel Wong †Lari ke Arab19301013 [lower-alpha 11] [43] [46]
Wu Tsun Lintah Darat 194144 [47]
Fred Young †Sehidup Semati1949223 [lower-alpha 12] [48]

Explanatory notes

  1. ↑ The Dutch had occupied the Indies for more than 300 years. Following a three-year Japanese occupation during World War II, Indonesia proclaimed its independence in 1945, an action which was not well-received by the Dutch (Kahin 1952, pp. 29, 101, 136) .
  2. ↑ Often credited as Rd. Ariffien
  3. ↑ Also credited as Hendro Sudarto
  4. ↑ Franken was better known for his short documentaries and spent most of his career in his homeland, the Netherlands.
  5. ↑ Also credited as PL Kapoor
  6. ↑ A pseudonym of Bunjin Kurata, a member of the Japanese occupation forces.
  7. ↑ Often credited as Roestam St. Palindih; his oeuvre may include a short entitled Djatoeh Berkait, which is formally credited to B. Koesoema (Filmindonesia.or.id, Djatoeh Berkait).
  8. ↑ Often credited as Moh. Said HJ
  9. ↑ Credited as Suska
  10. ↑ Also credited as TH Tan and Tanu Trh
  11. 1 2 3 Figures for Nelson Wong include three films directed with his brothers, Joshua and Othniel, for which they are credited as the Wong brothers. Figures for Joshua and Othniel also include a further three collaborations made after Nelson's death, two directed before 1949 and one directed afterwards.
  12. ↑ Also credited as Utomo

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Kurniasari 2012, Reviving.
  2. ↑ Biran 2009, pp. 61, 68.
  3. ↑ Kahin 1952, p. 445.
  4. ↑ Biran 2009, p. 45.
  5. ↑ Biran 2009, p. 55.
  6. ↑ JCG, Lily van Java.
  7. 1 2 Biran 2009, pp. 379–386.
  8. ↑ Said 1982, p. 138.
  9. ↑ Biran 2009, pp. 213.
  10. 1 2 Filmindonesia.or.id, Rd Ariffien.
  11. ↑ Biran 2009, p. 188.
  12. ↑ Said 1982, p. 29.
  13. ↑ Biran 2009, p. 155.
  14. ↑ I.N. 1981, p. 549.
  15. ↑ Swestin 2009, p. 104.
  16. ↑ Said 1982, p. 30.
  17. ↑ Filmindonesia.or.id, Abisin Abbas.
  18. ↑ Filmindonesia.or.id, Boen Kim Nam.
  19. ↑ Biran 2009, pp. 124, 380–381.
  20. ↑ De Indische Courant 1931, Indische filmkunst.
  21. ↑ Filmindonesia.or.id, Henry L Duarte.
  22. ↑ Filmindonesia.or.id, Bachtiar Effendy.
  23. ↑ EYE Institute, Mannus Franken.
  24. ↑ Filmindonesia.or.id, L. Heuveldorp.
  25. ↑ Filmindonesia.or.id, R Hu.
  26. ↑ Filmindonesia.or.id, Usmar Ismail.
  27. ↑ Filmindonesia.or.id, Jo An Djan.
  28. ↑ Filmindonesia.or.id, Jo An Tjiang.
  29. ↑ Biran 2009, p. 234.
  30. ↑ Filmindonesia.or.id, Djatoeh Berkait.
  31. ↑ Filmindonesia.or.id, G. Krugers.
  32. ↑ Filmindonesia.or.id, Lie Tek Swie.
  33. ↑ Filmindonesia.or.id, Njoo Cheong Seng.
  34. ↑ Filmindonesia.or.id, Inoe Perbatasari.
  35. ↑ Filmindonesia.or.id, Roestam St Palindih.
  36. ↑ Filmindonesia.or.id, Rustam St Palindih.
  37. ↑ Filmindonesia.or.id, Mohammad Said.
  38. ↑ Filmindonesia.or.id, MH Schilling.
  39. ↑ Filmindonesia.or.id, Suska.
  40. ↑ Filmindonesia.or.id, Tan Tjoei Hock.
  41. ↑ Filmindonesia.or.id, The Teng Chun.
  42. 1 2 3 Filmindonesia.or.id, Wong Bersaudara.
  43. ↑ Filmindonesia.or.id, Joshua Wong.
  44. ↑ Filmindonesia.or.id, Nelson Wong.
  45. ↑ Filmindonesia.or.id, Othniel Wong.
  46. ↑ Filmindonesia.or.id, Wu Tsun.
  47. ↑ Filmindonesia.or.id, Fred Young.

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