Producing an Oligopoly

Even with the entry of new filmmakers, production companies, and investors, the Indonesian film industry remains dominated by an oligopoly of old producers. In identifying this group, this chapter traces their connections back to the 1960s and their consolidation throughout the New Order. With significant presence in television production, these producers are both now wealthy and well-connected, allowing them to reassert themselves in the reformed post-1998 film industry. Largescale capital has been important to the systemisation of film production for the mainstream market but speaks to the legacy structures of the New Order.

Marrying Islam and Pop Culture

As feature film has become mainstream entertainment again, it has coincided with the emergence of new forms of piety and religious practices amongst Indonesian Muslims. Beginning in 2008, a new kind of feature film with Islamic themes began to be made capturing these new modes and ideas of Islamic piety. Tracing the emergence and development of this genre, this chapter looks in depth at how polygamy is represented by culturally progressive filmmakers. To balance normative values around love and gender roles, the films take an anti-polygamy stance by showing the impossibility of polygamous marriage. Behind many Islamic themed films is the director Hanung Bramantyo who has emerged as the most commercially successful but also controversial directors making Islamic films today.