Usmar Ismail

Directing·Mar 20, 1921·Fort de Kock, Dutch East Indies

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Usmar Ismail (born March 20, 1921 - January 2, 1971) was an Indonesian film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is dubbed the godfather of Indonesian films. The date of Indonesia's National Film Day (March 30), is dated from the first day of shooting Darah dan Doa (1950), Ismail's third film. His talents further developed while working at Keimin Bunka Sidosho (the Japanese Cultural Center Headquarters). There, he collaborated with Armijn Pane and other cultural figures to stage theatrical performances. In 1943, he founded and became the chairman of the theater group Sandiwara Penggemar "Maya" along with Abu Hanifah, Rosihan Anwar, Cornel Simanjuntak, Sudjojono, H.B. Jassin, and others. After the proclamation of independence, Usmar served in the military and became actively involved in journalism in Jakarta. When the Dutch returned with Allied forces, he joined the Indonesian National Army (TNI) in Yogyakarta with the rank of major. Along with his colleagues Sjamsuddin Sutan Makmur and Rinto Alwi, they established a newspaper named Rakyat. In the field of editorial work and journalism, Usmar was one of the founders and editors of Harian Patriot, the editor of the monthly magazine Arena in Yogyakarta (1948), and Gelanggang in Jakarta (1966-1967). He also served as the chairman of the Indonesian Journalists Association (1946-1947). During his time as a journalist, Usmar was imprisoned by the Dutch for allegedly engaging in subversive activities. At the time, he was working as a political reporter at Kantor Berita Antara and was covering the Dutch-Indonesian negotiations in Jakarta. This incident occurred in 1948. In his later career, Usmar developed a more serious interest in filmmaking. He became actively involved in organizations related to theater and film. He served as chairman of the Yogyakarta Cultural Deliberation Body (1946-1948), chairman of the Yogyakarta Artists Theater Association (1946-1948), chairman of the Indonesian National Theater Academy in Jakarta (1955-1965), and chairman of the National Film Deliberation Body (BMPN). BMPN played a key role in urging the government to establish the "National Film Development Policy" in 1967. He was known as a co-founder of the Indonesian National Film Company with Djamaluddin Malik and other film entrepreneurs, eventually becoming its chairman from 1954 to 1965.

Film	Credit
Bali1970 · Director	Director
Ananda1970 · Director, Writer	Director, Writer
The Big Village1969 · Director, Writer, Producer	Director, Writer, Producer
JJa Mualim1968 · Director, Screenplay, Producer	Director, Screenplay, Producer
MMenjusuri Djedjak Berdarah1967 · Producer	Producer
Dibalik Tjahaja Gemerlapan1966 · Producer	Producer
The Artist's Holiday1965 · Screenplay, Director, Producer	Screenplay, Director, Producer
AAnak-anak Revolusi1964 · Director, Screenplay	Director, Screenplay
MMasa Topan dan Badai1963 · Producer	Producer
Shadows at Dawn1962 · Producer, Screenplay, Director	Producer, Screenplay, Director
The Virgin in the Robbers' Nest1962 · Director, Producer, Screenplay	Director, Producer, Screenplay
TToha, Pahlawan Bandung Selatan1961 · Director, Screenplay, Producer	Director, Screenplay, Producer
Amor dan Humor1961 · Director, Screenplay	Director, Screenplay
The Struggle1960 · Producer, Screenplay, Director	Producer, Screenplay, Director
LLaruik Sandjo1960 · Director, Screenplay, Producer	Director, Screenplay, Producer
Victim of Slander1959 · Director	Director
Girl's Dormitory1958 · Director, Screenplay, Producer	Director, Screenplay, Producer
Djendral Kantjil1958 · Producer	Producer
Whips of Fire1958 · Producer	Producer
Delapan Pendjuru Angin1957 · Director, Producer, Screenplay	Director, Producer, Screenplay
SSengketa1957 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
Three Fugitives1957 · Producer	Producer
The Three Maidens1956 · Tamsil, Producer, Screenplay, Director	Tamsil, Producer, Screenplay, Director
Lagi-Lagi Krisis1955 · Producer, Screenplay, Director	Producer, Screenplay, Director
Exalted Guest1955 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
After the Curfew1954 · Producer, Director	Producer, Director
Heboh1954 · Producer	Producer
KKafedo1953 · Director, Screenplay, Producer	Director, Screenplay, Producer
KKrisis1953 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
The Tiger from Tjampa1953 · Producer	Producer
Terimalah Laguku1952 · Producer	Producer
Six Hours in Djogja1951 · Producer, Director	Producer, Director
Unforgivable Sin1951 · Director, Producer, Writer	Director, Producer, Writer
The Long March1950 · Director, Writer, Producer	Director, Writer, Producer
TTjitra1949 · Director	Director
HHarta Karun1949 · Director, Screenplay	Director, Screenplay