Ibnu Jamil Difficulty Learning Old Sundanese In Nana: Ribet

Ibn Jamil (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Ibnu Jamil admitted that he found it difficult and at the same time challenged when learning and practicing the old Sundanese language to deepen his role in the film Before, Now & Then (Nana) directed by Kamila Andini.

“I am a Jakartan, native Betawi. Asked to (speak) Sundanese, yes, homework must have a process in the workshop. But that's as an actor, if we are serious and fall in love with the project, we will definitely carry it out," Ibnu said, quoted from ANTARA, January 24.

Ibnu said that he had previously been involved in a television film project (FTV) with Sundanese dialogue, but his role in this film required him to re-learn the Sundanese language of the 60s era which has different characteristics from today.

“When I suddenly got a call, I got a casting invitation. But the film is in Sundanese. Okay, it's okay to try. Tried on casting, oh, it's safe. At the workshop, it was complicated, because there were Sundanese language experts. 'Kang Ibnu is the Sundanese language of FTV', said Ibnu.

Despite the difficulties, he was happy to be involved in this film project because he had previously been interested in Kamila Andini's works. Moreover, Kamila's films, said Ibnu, usually offer something different, including his character in the film "Nana" which is unlike any mainstream character he has played before.

"This is my first film with Ms. Kamila Andini, which I have been eyeing for a very long time because from the first time I watched the second film 'Sekala Niskala', I fell in love with her works," he admits.

He was also happy when he got the news that the film “Nana” was entered into the Berlin Film Festival. According to him, this can be used as a parameter that Indonesian films in recent years have had achievements that are able to speak at foreign festivals. The progress of Indonesian films in terms of quality, said Ibnu, has been able to compete with films from abroad.

“Hopefully this is an ecosystem that has started to grow healthy and can be even more advanced. It can impact not only us as filmmakers, but also for Indonesian audiences to have many alternatives and quality shows," concluded Ibnu Jamil.