JAKARTA: Inspired by badminton champion Liem Swie King, actor and film producer Ari Sihasale plans to launch his third children’s film — about badminton — in June.
“It’s badminton players who make this country become known to the world but they are usually forgotten. They are treated like a king or queen only at the moment they win, but after that nobody really cares about them,” Ari told The Jakarta Post.
The film, titled King, is about the struggle of a village boy to achieve his dream of becoming a badminton champion.
“I’m really inspired by King’s spirit and I think we still need films that inspire our children to reach their dreams,” he said.
“It’s very hard nowadays to tell stories to adults. It’s better to tell a story to children who might get inspired by the story.”
Ari criticized the trend in the country’s film industry for currently “only selling love and dreams”.
Ari and his wife actress Nia Zulkarnaen are known for their interest in children’s films.
Their first two films Denias, Senandung di Atas Awan (Denias, Singing on the Clouds, 2006) and Liburan Seru (Exciting Holiday, 2008) were both for children.
Denias, Senandung di Atas Awan won the award for Best Children’s Feature Film at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (ASPA) in 2007.
