Before Fandom in Japanese-Indonesian Film: the Roots of Globalization from Japan to Indonesia

Abstract The establishment of Japan Motion Picture (Nippon Eigasha) Indonesian branch and Cultural Center both in 1943 during Japanese occupation served as a driving force to develop Indonesia’s national film. Sending their film experts, Japan introduced national film standardization and taught systematic film-making techniques to Indonesian young directors. Usmar Ismail, later known as the founding father of Indonesian film, also learned about film-making from Japanese side, and eventually his first film was named the first Indonesian national film. Despite its major influence on Indonesian filmography, analysis on its internal elements and how much the education from Japan affected his film has been overlooked. Therefore, this study aims to identify the roots of globalization brought during the cultural imperialism era of Japan. An analysis by looking at cinematic elements in two Japanese and two Indonesian films will be made to find film-making principles and ideologies laid by Japan in Indonesia.