Postcards from the Zoo

Postcards from the Zoo
Kebun Binatang
Directed byEdwin
Written byEdwin
Titien Wattimena
Daud Samolang
Produced byMeiske Taurisia
StarringLadya Cheryl
Nicholas Saputra
CinematographySidi Saleh
Edited byHerman Panca
Music byDave Lumenta
Production
companies
Babibutafilm
Pallas Film
Release date
Running time
95 minutes
CountriesIndonesia
Germany
LanguageIndonesian

Postcards from the Zoo (Indonesian: Kebun Binatang) is a 2012 Indonesian drama film written and directed by Edwin. The film was screened in competition at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival in February 2012, making Edwin the first Indonesian filmmaker to do so in 49 years.[1][2]

Synopsis

Lana is a child who is abandoned by her father and left in the care of a giraffe trainer in a zoo. Lana grows up among animals, visiting and feeding them in their enclosures.[3] For Lana, physical touch is the one experience she shares with her father and unconsciously, she always longs to be touched, which is why Lana falls in love with a magician who comes into the zoo.[3]

Cast

Release

The film never received a wide theatrical release in Indonesia.[4] It premiered at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival on 15 February 2012, where it was the first Indonesian film in 49 years to compete in the main section for the Golden Bear, which eventually went to Caesar Must Die.[2] A dubbed version received a limited release on 33 screens in Germany in January 2013 with the title of Die Nacht der Giraffe.[4]

Reception

Postcards from the Zoo received positive reviews from critics, with David Jenkins of Little White Lies giving it a 4 out of 5 stars and claiming that the film will make audience "never look at a zoo in the same way again."[5] In a more mixed review, Adrian Pasaribu of Cinema Poetica compared the film's unusual setting to Wong Kar-wai's My Blueberry Nights (2007) but praised its cinematography and Dave Lumenta's score.[6]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Recipient Result Ref.
2012 Asian Film Awards Edward Yang New Talent Award Edwin Won [7]
Tribeca Film Festival Best Narrative Feature Jury Prize Postcards from the Zoo Nominated [8]
Berlin International Film Festival Golden Bear Nominated
Hong Kong International Film Festival FIPRESCI Prize Nominated [9]
Golden Firebird Award Edwin Nominated

References

  1. ^ "First Films for the Competition and Berlinale Special". Berlin Film Festival. Archived from the original on 6 January 2012. Retrieved 20 December 2011.
  2. ^ a b Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Empat Film Indonesia di Berlinale | DW | 17 February 2012". DW.COM (in Indonesian). Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  3. ^ a b Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "The lonely girl and the giraffe | DW | 17 February 2012". DW.COM. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Kebun Binatang (2012)". filmindonesia.or.id. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  5. ^ Jenkins, David (23 February 2013). "Postcards from the Zoo". Little White Lies. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  6. ^ "Postcards from the Zoo: Kebun Binatang dan Eksistensi Kita Sehari-hari". Cinema Poetica (in Indonesian). 25 February 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  7. ^ Fimela.com (20 March 2012). "Donny Damara dan Edwin Raih Penghargaan di Asian Film Awards". fimela.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  8. ^ "Edwin Meske Taurisia Photostream". Zimbio. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  9. ^ "Kebun Binatang (2012)". filmindonesia.or.id. Retrieved 9 February 2021.