Indonesia makes film on Obama’s childhood
By IANSTuesday, May 18, 2010
JAKARTA - An Indonesian filmmaker is producing a film on US President Barack Obama, depicting the childhood days he spent with his mother in the Southeast Asian country in the late 1960s.
The film will hit the screens during Obama’s visit to Indonesia next month and is expected to improve the “already good” relations between Indonesia and the US, Damien Dematra, the film’s co-director, was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.
The movie, titled “Obama Anak Menteng” (Obama a Menteng Boy), has been adapted from a novel written by Damien. The novel was released in March 2010.
It depicts the life of Obama during 1967-1970 when he stayed with his mother, Stanley Ann Dunham, who married Indonesian Lolo Setoro and stayed in the Menteng area of Jakarta.
During his stay before he moved to Hawaii, Obama studied in two different elementary schools - Besuki school in Menteng and St. Francis of Assisi school.
“Obama’s childhood character was played by Hasan Farouk Ali, a 12-year-old son to an African-American father and a Caucasian mother. He speaks fluent English, but not too fluent Bahasa Indonesia. It fits with Obama’s character as a boy,” Damien said.
Obama’s mother is played by a British woman of Dutch origin, while his step-father is played by an Indonesian man.
“Their backgrounds really support the authenticity to the story,” said Damien, who also consulted Obama’s former neighbours in Jakarta to know more about his childhood.
“We hired them as consultants in the filmmaking, since they still have fresh memories of Obama,” he said.
Shooting for the movie is under way, and it will hit the screens June 17. Obama is expected to visit Indonesia during June 15-19.
