I heart JIFFEST

As an avid (quality) movie goers I welcome JIFEST very much. Happy that the show still go on despite the financial crisis.

I am kind of occupied with work and not managed to get all the ticket I want. Already watch two movies and hopefully will see at least two more.


The french movie "Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis" is a real gem. The audience is filled with laughter during the screening. It is a buddy movie that smartly exploit the regional differences (accent, attitude, climate, food etc) in France betweem the aristocratic south and the easy going north.

It is even considered a punishment to be transfer to the north region, mostly due to colder climate but also for the lowbrow culture. When a southerner get transfer to north, he turnout to hate it much less than he thought he will.

Indonesia could use more of this movie types to accept and celebrate our differences though laughter.

The second movie I watched was "Where in the world is Osama bin Laden." Morgan Spurlock, the director, narrator and leading character, is known for his stunt documentary style when he gain weight by eating only McDonald in "Supersize Me." He did it again in a (true) role as prospective wanting to be sure his soon-to-be born son live in a safer world without OBL.

He traveled to Marocco, Egypy, Israel, Palestine, Afganistan and Pakistan to interview people and find bin laden. He tried to be funny, sometime too hard with cartoon Mortal-kombat-like clips, and managed to get some good laugh. But the real strength is when he expose that the Moslem has no problem with American, it is the american conduct that support Israel and invade Afghan/Iraq.

The real peace is within. To be safer and prevent more recruit for OBL, America need to change its conduct to win the heart and mind of the moslem. In the end, people want peace and better livelihood for themselves and their family. To be treated with respect and feel we matter.

Obama said that he will change American conduct abroad by the principle of Dignity First. Hope he walk the talk.