`Laskar Pelangi` Competes For Top Asian Film Award

Jakarta - Indonesian movie “Laskar Pelangi,” or “Rainbow Troops,” has been named an official contender for top film at the third Asian Film Awards, which will feature film-maker Oliver Stone as one of its presenters.

The announcement over the weekend came as the writer of the novel on which the film was based, Andrea Hirata, was presented with an award by Paramadina University in Jakarta for giving his readers so much inspiration and optimism through his true story.

“The writer, through the book, has given us the spirit of optimism, the same spirit we have here in the university,” the president of the university, Anies Baswedan, said on Sunday.

He said that Andrea has succeeded in making people aware of the need to struggle for education. The story, based on Andrea‘s childhood in Belitung Island of Sumatra, tells the true story of an inspiring teacher, Ibu Muslimah, and her poverty-stricken students, who never lose hope for a brighter future.

The novel, a sequel of four series, hit the country‘s shelves in 2005 and since then has become a best seller.

The movie, that was released in September last year, has been seen by millions of people.

The AFA official Web site states that the third awards presentation ceremony will take place today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center and will be telecast on TVB Pearl on Tuesday and STAR on April 4.

The film is nominated along with “Forever Enthralled” (China), “The Good, the Bad, the Weird” (South Korea), “Ponyo on the Cliff” (Japan), “Red Cliff” (China) and “Tokyo Sonata” (Japan, the Netherlands and Hong Kong).

Aside from its best film nomination, its editor, Waluyo Ichwandiardono, has also been nominated. He is competing with nominees from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Kazakhstan, Russia, France, Germany and South Korea. Anita Rachman

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com
Photo Credit: laskarpelangithemovie

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