Actors: Anneke Grönloh, Gepke Haakma, Ilse Bloem, Jaro Wolff, Joep van der Geest
Directors: Marion Bloem
Production Date: 2008
Not too longtime ago, one of friend posted the trailer of this movie in the Dutch-Indonesian Groups.
This movie tells story about Barbie, an american indische who was travelling to Netherlands to find her extended dutch-indonesian family. This film is portrayal of second generation of Indo people who still practicing their eurasian culture in US.
In 1945, Eurasians became target of hostility from native Indonesian, commonly called “Bersiap”. Many were traumatized and lost family members during “Bersiap”, regardless, it was barely mentioned in Indonesia history books because Eurasians were long time regarded as “Dutch” and “Kompeni” (allegory to VOC).
There is approximately 300,000 or more Dutch-Indonesian people expelled from Indonesia in 1950-1964. My mom said her family actually supposed to move to Netherlands in 1964, but the Dutch stopped the migration program because there had been too much eurasian in Netherlands. The totok protested government because they must compete job with migrants, and as the result, many later migrating to USA.
After watching the trailer, I couldn’t help but want to watch this movie because it’s a movie about Dutch-Indonesian, a rare topic indeed. I wonder if the Indonesian cinemas will someday air it.
The good news is there is a dvd release with english subtitle. But the bad news is, it’s practically impossible to buy in Indonesia because everything in the stores are the hollywood craps. Importing isn’t easy either.
I have tried several methods to get the dvd. One of my friend is living in Germany. he said he might able to import the DVD and give it to me when his mom visit Indonesia, he gave me bad news that Amazon Netherlands doesn’t send goods to Germany. Holy crab. And here I thought EU has higher freedom of movement of goods. My friend amazed how hard it was to import just a single DVD from Netherlands to Germany which is an EU zone.
The second one is asking my friends who live in NL. She said even worse, she must import it from UK which will increase the shipping cost. And oh, Amazon NL is actually located in UK. Duh.
I haven’t given up though, I have emailed my cousin in NL, there is still possibility that I could ask him to send this to Indonesia. Is this movie popular at all in Netherlands anyway? I barely heard any movie magazines talking about this movie. It’s not even featured in Jakarta International Film Festival. It seems I must check local Erasmus Huis since it has been ages since last time I went there.
Anyway, for these who are interested to Dutch-Indonesian related subject. This movie is probably a must-watch. Even the music from trailer is pretty catchy and easy-listening. Really hope this movie could get more exposure and featured in our local movies.
References
Calvin, I will try and buy the DVD here. Next I will let you know here as soon as I’ve got it in my possession. If at that moment you email your address to me I will gladly send the movie to you (which, even with “priority” probably will take 3 weeks to arrive).
Btw: Marion Bloem – who when I was in my early thirties was considered to be the most beautiful girl in town and in the country (she still is a very good looking lady)- became famous as a author with her first novel “Geen gewoon Indisch meisje” ( = Not an ordinary Indisch girl). She still publishes stories and novels – though personally I think she is a minor novelist.
And yes: it’s true the “repatrianten” ( people who had to leave Indonesia) have not always been treated well. Like my parents in law for instance. Of course The Netherlands were in the mid fifties in dire straits and still pretty poor ( recovering from the devastations of WWII). And some of them were “spijtoptanten” which meant they originally ( in ‘49) choose for the RI and only when the policies of President Soekarno turned sour they regretted their choice and opted for Dutch citizenship – which was sometimes granted and sometimes rejected. Anyhow: a lot of personal tragedies have occurred, though generally speaking the bunch of those 300000 have integrated well in Dutch society.
Colson, that is very kind of you! Thank you very much, I will send you address then, though may I ask the dvd cost and shipping price first? Well, the shipping price from europe to asia is not really cheap, and sometime it costs more than the good itself.
@ Calvin,
Please don’t ask.
I’m just honored to send a little present to one of my best blogging friends who happens to be one of the best bloggers.
You are too kind Colson. All I could say is thank you very much, I’m really grateful for this.
I will send the contact via facebook if you don’t mind.
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