Exclusive Bene Dion Perdana Creates Rom-com Films To Convey Anxiety In The Film Industry

Bene Dion (Photo: Anto, DI: Raga/VOI)

JAKARTA - Bene Dion Radjagukguk is arguably one of the directors who is shining. In the midst of his activities as a single comedian, he is still productive in making films after the success of Ngeri Sedap last year.

Unlike the second film, this year he greeted the audience of Indonesian films with the film Odd Even. This film is an adaptation of the novel created by Almira Bastari which was successfully liked by book readers. It took a long time for Bene to finally work on this film.

Ajakan untuk membuat film ini sudah sangat lama sekali setelah Ghost Writer waktu itu tayang. Terus saya dikunjung MD bertemu, saya baca novelnya dan be honest suka novelnya, kata Bene Dion memulai cerita proses pertemuannya dengan Ganjil Genap.

"I myself am also a fan of rom-com (romantic comedy - romantic comedy) so I like to watch and want to make rom-com and when I read the novel, it seems that the story is interesting to work on as a rom-com, which in Indonesia is very rarely working on," he explained.

His desire to make a rom-com film also stems from his confusion that there are not many romance films aimed at adults. In addition, Bene Dion also has a heart with the Ganjil Even novel because he knows Almira Bastari is the person who works on the novel Design. With various views, this man who was born on March 2 also wants to make a romantic comedy film that is far from his image.

"Maybe Batak men are not famous for being romantic, don't know how to express affection and all kinds of things, so this film actually makes me learn that. Understanding how to make romantic scenes, makes the audience smile to themselves, participates in feeling in love and all kinds of things," Bene continued, telling the film process.

"It's a fun and fun process because I ended up watching the rom-com again and saw that the scene could make me smile, so I thought 'Why am I smiling?' What makes me interested in the scene so that the response I experienced was like this. And it finally tried to break down on my head and was applied in the film Odd Even," he said again.

One of the films that inspired him was 500 Days of Summer, a film directed by Marc Webb who became a cult classic among fans of the film rom-com. In fact, he admitted that there was one scene inspired by the 2009 film. At first glance, the romantic comedy genre feels light but for Bene Dion there is something he has to share in his film and update without changing the material of his book.

"Because this adaptation is not a facilitation of making novels into films and there is a perspective on romance that I have and want to convey through films so that the intention of making what is in the novel is upgraded when watching the film," he said.

"As a reader, everyone must have their own perspective on romance, love, commitment, marriage and all kinds of things. When making the scenario, I try to add to my perspective so that it's stronger, it's not against what's in the novel," said Bene, who worked on the Ganjil Even script with Sigit Sulistyo.

The novel makes the skeleton, I try to plat with all kinds of perspectives so that the framework and results are really fun to watch.

Odd Even tells the story of Gala and Bara who end their relationship after 8 years of dating. Then Gala finds Aiman, a man who is present to heal his heart until Gala realizes Aiman has something in common with Bara.

"Oh, it turns out that love is like this, it turns out that men have a perspective on women, women against men like this. For example, when Gala and Bara broke up, the couple was dating for 8 years and broke up, which was the most difficult to move on at the beginning of the Gala, she was very difficult to forget, very sad. But it's easy for her to move on, it seems that she has found a new partner but for a long time to pass, the Gala has moved on, the new Bara in her assessment to move on, "Bene's story about his new film.

According to the chat with many people, indeed men and women have a different phase of moving on, usually women cry at the beginning and then they move on. If a man seems cheerful at the beginning but then he just experiences confusion and the process appears when writing. Many stories like this are different between friendship and the move on phase between women and men and other things," he continued.

Discussion has always been Bene Dion's choice in making films. He recalls when working on the film Ngeri Sedap, he discussed with his friends about a child's decision. It was also done in creating his first rom-com film where some of the conversations departed from the results of a conversation with his girlfriend.

"When I read the novel, I can imagine what's there with the contents of the character's head. But of course it needs another reference, so I asked my girlfriend, I asked how when he broke up with his ex, what was in his head and all kinds of things. He also has friends who have been dating for a long time and then break up and will be married to a new boyfriend," explained Bene.

"I told my girlfriend to chat with him, ask him what the contents of his head were when he met a new partner and plans to get married, whether he had any worries, doubts, whether there was something in his head that needed to be considered. So try to find insight, who knows there is a new perspective that turns out to be interesting and can be included in the film," he said.

Odd Even can be called a new all-new film. In addition to working on rom-com for the first time, this is also the first time Bene Dion has made an adaptation film. This film also presents a story about the life of the people of Jakarta, the city he lived in for 10 years.

If we look at films that try to capture how many places Jakarta has grass root, the range is a bit below that is quite a lot. But the rom-com film with metropops tries to capture beautiful corners and maybe people think in Jakarta where to look for something like that, I try to find a point like that and it turns out that Jakarta has a lot like that that that that which has not been explored, "the story.

"Hopefully people can see that Jakarta has a very wide range in all kinds. Both life, place, and all kinds of things so if people want to see a place that may have not been explored before, hopefully this film can describe it and people can understand that Jakarta is not just a tough city, chaotic, there are many other perspectives," he hoped.

One of the things that made me take this job was because the previous 2 films (the story) were original, so there was a kind of stereotype that the adaptation film was very difficult to do because there were many contents of the reader's head that we might not understand what they imagined, "Bene Dion replied about adaptation.

When they make the adaptation collide with them expectations and that's what makes me (like) 'yes, I want to try'. There must be fear but I do it as long as the creation remains focused, how to make a novel into a film but in content, stories and all kinds of upgrades. The point is to take the story, the spirit into a film, there are still aspects that upgrade so I myself am satisfied and I hope the readers are not disappointed," he said.

The selection of Oka Antara and Clara Bernadeth as the main characters was a surprise, but Bene Dion personally felt that both were actors who were suitable to play this character. According to him, they can produce the chemistry of Gala and Aiman well in the film.

"Indeed, the character is quite different in age. The film is also a film made by metropp, the term describing the urban life of Jakarta which must be described well. In my opinion, Clara Bernadeth has elements of her metrop face and attitude, when I look at Wow, this is a very metroped girl, it fits," said Bene explaining the character process.

"In terms of acting, both of them have good abilities and are not disappointing at all working with them," he said.

Eight years of career in the film industry seems to form a personal person who is ready for industrial changes. Both from responses, criticisms, to other people's points of view. According to Bene, he always ensures that the quality of the film is maintained, of course, without removing his side.

What is clear is when making, producing, writing and all kinds of processes I have given totality to this work, thinking about it and giving my best. Even if later there is a response that appears, it must be well accepted because as spectators they also have sacrifices, time, money to watch and whatever the response I have to accept properly because that is their right, "said Bene Dion.

Titel box office is consciously attached to Bene Dion. How not, the transition from comedian to director produces films that receive positive responses that may not be reached by many similar figures. When he heard the statement, Bene explained that there was no formula to create box office in the film.

The film has its own destiny. No one can be asked what the exact formulation is to make a best-selling Indonesian film, no one can make the formula. When asked about the burden, of course it's a burden but again I already have confidence that all films have their destiny and my job is to make the best film I can afford. In totality and in terms of work I have given my best," said Bene.

When asked then what triggered Bene Dion in creating a film, he swiftly answered that his family was the main motorist.

"I have a mother, and I want every time my mother watches my film, she understands. I don't want to make the film too compacted so that my closest family can't enjoy it. I always think that those who watch my mother, sister, sister, sister, they don't understand the film, they sympathize or not with the problem or character, "he continued.

Odd Even is also present in the midst of the onslaught of the horror genre as well as the sluggish development of Indonesian films. Even though he is worried, Bene wants diversity in films even though he has to compete with the rampant OTT (over the top) content. He also admitted that he had no intention of making horror films and was still comfortable with comedy genres.

"To be honest, what I'm worried about isn't about the number of odd-even viewers, but what will happen to Indonesian films in the future. Because we have to admit, after the pandemic, there have been a lot of OTT and OTT, it's relatively easier for viewers to access it," explained Bene.

"I don't have the ability, I don't have references and instincts to make good cool horror films, so I'm worried that if only horror films keep going, I want to make horror, right? That's how to help Indonesia have a film in a color cinema, not just horror," he said.

To VOI, he leaked that he already has a new film plan that still contains comedy elements. He feels that there is his own pleasure every time he enters comedy into the projects he is working on.

"Almost want to always try a new genre even though his life is still a comedy and the next film already has a plan, hopefully, it will be supported by the direction as well so that he will continue to give a new color and work on it, he has a big excitement because it's different again," said Bene.

"Every director must have their own excitement, for example Joko Anwar is famous for making horror, maybe he is comfortable or Timo (Tjahjanto) always makes action, he likes to fight times or so he has his own references," he said.

Ending the conversation that afternoon, Bene Dion felt that his job always created his own joy, whether it was making a film or making a comedy. He hopes that the job that makes him happy is the source of his productivity in his work.

So far, all kinds of work activities have made me happy that I don't have a burden, don't press, don't stress, don't do something that I'm actually unable to do. When there are job offers and activities that come in, I always think this makes me happy or not, if I'm happy let's do it! " said Bene Dion closing the conversation.

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