Usmar Ismail Becomes A National Hero Who Struggled Without Bloodshed

JAKARTA - Usmar Ismail was named a National Hero by President Joko Widodo on Wednesday, November 10, 2021. The title of national hero was also carried out in commemoration of Hero's Day.

The figure of Usmar Ismail is rarely discussed. Although he did not fight on the battlefield, Usmar Ismail was the man behind the presence of Indonesian cinema.

Born on March 20, 1921 in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, Usmar Ismail grew up with stories and likes to watch movies. Launching the website of the Language Agency, Usmar has also been fond of literature since he was in junior high school.

After sitting in high school, Usmar deepened his literature and drama at school. He works at the Keimin Bunka Sidosho, the Headquarters of the Japanese Cultural Center.

In 1943, Usmar Ismail and his brother and friends founded a play group called Maya. From there, various modern theater works in Indonesia were born, including Taufan di Atas Asia and Holiday Artists.

Usmar also briefly founded media called Rakyat, Patriot, and Arena. His journey in the world of journalism was stopped after he was jailed by the Dutch after covering the Dutch and Indonesian negotiations in 1948.

After being imprisoned, Usmar worked in the film industry and founded the Indonesian National Film Company. Usmar also started production of his first film, Darah dan Doa (Blood and Prayer) in 1950.

The film Blood and Prayer premiered at the State Palace. Later, he started making films such as Enam Jam di Yogya (1951), Dosa Tak Berampun (1951), Lewat Djam Malam (1954), Tiga Dara (1955), and others. Usmar Ismail died on January 2, 1971, after suffering a stroke due to his deteriorating business.

Usmar Ismail's coronation as a National Hero also coincided with the 2021 Indonesian Film Festival which was held on the same day. The name Citra Cup is also taken from Usmar's poem entitled Citra.