INTERVIEW WITH ERWIN ARNADA
You used to work as the chief editor of one of the most controversial magazines ever published at Indonesia; could you tell us how it all started? What inspired your attempt to ‘break the taboo’?
Simple, I was concerned with how most of male magazines in this country only sell about sex, ‘how to get ladies’ or hedonistic lifestyle. I rarely found enlightenment or intellectual context in them; meanwhile I know that Playboy magazine has been categorized as ‘Award-Winning Journalism’, because the articles or interviews they featured often won various awards in journalistic field. In the 90s, Playboy Magazine successfully brought up various engaging issues to their readers; from global warming, to the economic invasion of Asia countries to USA and Europe (which proven right by now!). This is the power of Playboy Magazine that I wished to bring here at that given time. The strength of their concept is contagious, and Playboy Indonesia won the writing competition at 2006 held by Sampoerna in TWO categories. I trusted in our writing so much that I decided not to include the signature Pictorial Playmate whatsoever in Playboy Indonesia for its second year. Hugh Hefner himself was baffled, and most of my colleagues called me crazy for that, but I stick to my decision after all.
As an avid movie producer, if you were given a chance to do a remake of one the famous Oscar-winning movies, which would you choose and why?
As a classic movie enthusiast, I think that remaking the movie ,which has won an Oscar is a silly thing to do. I believe in the credo; for the sanctity of an artwork, do not attempt to remake a masterpiece which has been credited for its quality and aesthetic, unless that remake take a different perspective so it could bring fresh approach and ideas.
But for me personally, if I would be insisted to remake Oscar-winning movies, I will pick Rolland Joffrie’s The Mission of David Weir’s Dead Poet Society. I will take their basic ideas and implement it with the issues or condition in Indonesia.
What do you think of hypocrite? Feel free to share your thought to us.
It is the most common individual ‘illness’ that occurs in each person, and can gradually turn into a communal disease. Usually, a bad social system will turn hypocrisy to massive affliction. I was fed up facing the hypocrite who uses religion as commodities in an absolutely non-religious way.
Which writer has influenced you the most and why? Share with us three last books you’ve read.
There are three litterateur who has influenced me so far; Maxim Gorky, Pramoedya Ananta Toer and Goenawan Mohamad. Three last books that I have spend my time reading lately are Lelaki Harimau by Eka Kurniawan, Berlin Proposal by Afrizal Malna and a compilation of essay and poet by Jallaludin Rumi.
Where do you see yourself five years from now?
I would see myself living off a small village in rural Tabanan, managing a library and creative house, which teach how to think creatively and make art productively.
If you can bring back one musician from the dead, who would you choose and why?
John Lennon and Frank Sinatra of course! Both of them has to collaborate and create music together in the new life. Can you imagine how cool it would be?
How do you want to be remembered?
As a ‘super tolerance guy’
Share with us about the current movie project you’re working on
My nearest project is publishing my second novel ‘JEJAK DEDARI’ in October and releasing its self-titled movie next year. JEJAK DEDARI tells a story of a village in North Bali where 95 percent of its inhabitants are deaf-mute. This is my second featured movie as a film director. Then after those two projects, I will finish the filming ‘Bung Hatta’ the Indonesian Proclamation Father, which estimated to be done in March 2017.
[iframe id=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/CVobRgKE7As”]