About

Known credits:
88
Birthday:
1921-03-20
Place of birth:
Fort de Kock, Dutch East Indies
Website:
N/A

Usmar Ismail

Overview

Usmar Ismail (born March 20, 1921 - January 2, 1971) was an Indonesian film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is dubbed the godfather of Indonesian films. The date of Indonesia's National Film Day (March 30), is dated from the first day of shooting Darah dan Doa (1950), Ismail's third film.

His talents further developed while working at Keimin Bunka Sidosho (the Japanese Cultural Center Headquarters). There, he collaborated with Armijn Pane and other cultural figures to stage theatrical performances.

In 1943, he founded and became the chairman of the theater group Sandiwara Penggemar "Maya" along with Abu Hanifah, Rosihan Anwar, Cornel Simanjuntak, Sudjojono, H.B. Jassin, and others.

After the proclamation of independence, Usmar served in the military and became actively involved in journalism in Jakarta. When the Dutch returned with Allied forces, he joined the Indonesian National Army (TNI) in Yogyakarta with the rank of major. Along with his colleagues Sjamsuddin Sutan Makmur and Rinto Alwi, they established a newspaper named Rakyat. In the field of editorial work and journalism, Usmar was one of the founders and editors of Harian Patriot, the editor of the monthly magazine Arena in Yogyakarta (1948), and Gelanggang in Jakarta (1966-1967). He also served as the chairman of the Indonesian Journalists Association (1946-1947).

During his time as a journalist, Usmar was imprisoned by the Dutch for allegedly engaging in subversive activities. At the time, he was working as a political reporter at Kantor Berita Antara and was covering the Dutch-Indonesian negotiations in Jakarta. This incident occurred in 1948.

In his later career, Usmar developed a more serious interest in filmmaking. He became actively involved in organizations related to theater and film. He served as chairman of the Yogyakarta Cultural Deliberation Body (1946-1948), chairman of the Yogyakarta Artists Theater Association (1946-1948), chairman of the Indonesian National Theater Academy in Jakarta (1955-1965), and chairman of the National Film Deliberation Body (BMPN). BMPN played a key role in urging the government to establish the "National Film Development Policy" in 1967. He was known as a co-founder of the Indonesian National Film Company with Djamaluddin Malik and other film entrepreneurs, eventually becoming its chairman from 1954 to 1965.

Known for

Acting
1956 The Three Maidens Actor Tamsil 58
Average

Directing
1970 Bali Directing Director 58
Average
1970 Ananda Directing Director N/A
N/A
1969 The Big Village Directing Director N/A
N/A
1968 Ja Mualim Directing Director N/A
N/A
1965 The Artist's Holiday Directing Director N/A
N/A
1964 Anak-anak Revolusi Directing Director N/A
N/A
1962 Shadows at Dawn Directing Director N/A
N/A
1962 The Virgin in the Robbers' Nest Directing Director N/A
N/A
1961 Toha, Pahlawan Bandung Selatan Directing Director N/A
N/A
1961 Amor dan Humor Directing Director N/A
N/A
1960 Laruik Sandjo Directing Director N/A
N/A
1960 The Struggle Directing Director 58
Average
1959 Victim of Slander Directing Director N/A
N/A
1958 Girl's Dormitory Directing Director N/A
N/A
1957 Delapan Pendjuru Angin Directing Director N/A
N/A
1957 Sengketa Directing Director N/A
N/A
1956 The Three Maidens Directing Director 58
Average
1955 Lagi-Lagi Krisis Directing Director N/A
N/A
1955 Exalted Guest Directing Director N/A
N/A
1954 After the Curfew Directing Director 58
Average
1953 Kafedo Directing Director N/A
N/A
1953 Krisis Directing Director N/A
N/A
1951 Six Hours in Djogja Directing Director 58
Average
1951 Unforgivable Sin Directing Director N/A
N/A
1950 The Long March Directing Director N/A
N/A
1949 Tjitra Directing Director N/A
N/A
1949 Harta Karun Directing Director N/A
N/A

Writing
1970 Ananda Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1970 Ananda Writing Story N/A
N/A
1969 The Big Village Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1969 The Big Village Writing Story N/A
N/A
1968 Ja Mualim Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1965 The Artist's Holiday Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1964 Anak-anak Revolusi Writing Story N/A
N/A
1964 Anak-anak Revolusi Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1962 Shadows at Dawn Writing Story N/A
N/A
1962 Shadows at Dawn Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1962 The Virgin in the Robbers' Nest Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1961 Toha, Pahlawan Bandung Selatan Writing Story N/A
N/A
1961 Toha, Pahlawan Bandung Selatan Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1961 Amor dan Humor Writing Story N/A
N/A
1961 Amor dan Humor Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1960 Laruik Sandjo Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1960 The Struggle Writing Story 58
Average
1960 The Struggle Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1958 Girl's Dormitory Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1957 Delapan Pendjuru Angin Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1956 The Three Maidens Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1956 The Three Maidens Writing Story 58
Average
1955 Lagi-Lagi Krisis Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1955 Lagi-Lagi Krisis Writing Story N/A
N/A
1953 Kafedo Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1951 Embun Writing Story N/A
N/A
1951 Six Hours in Djogja Writing Story 58
Average
1951 Unforgivable Sin Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1950 The Long March Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1949 Tjitra Writing Story N/A
N/A
1949 Harta Karun Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A

Production
1969 The Big Village Production Producer N/A
N/A
1968 Ja Mualim Production Producer N/A
N/A
1967 Menjusuri Djedjak Berdarah Production Producer N/A
N/A
1966 Dibalik Tjahaja Gemerlapan Production Producer N/A
N/A
1965 The Artist's Holiday Production Producer N/A
N/A
1963 Masa Topan dan Badai Production Producer N/A
N/A
1962 Shadows at Dawn Production Producer N/A
N/A
1962 The Virgin in the Robbers' Nest Production Producer N/A
N/A
1961 Toha, Pahlawan Bandung Selatan Production Producer N/A
N/A
1960 The Struggle Production Producer 58
Average
1960 Laruik Sandjo Production Producer N/A
N/A
1958 Girl's Dormitory Production Producer N/A
N/A
1958 Djendral Kantjil Production Producer N/A
N/A
1958 Whips of Fire Production Producer 58
Average
1957 Delapan Pendjuru Angin Production Producer N/A
N/A
1957 Sengketa Production Producer N/A
N/A
1957 Three Fugitives Production Producer N/A
N/A
1956 The Three Maidens Production Producer 58
Average
1955 Lagi-Lagi Krisis Production Producer N/A
N/A
1955 Exalted Guest Production Producer N/A
N/A
1954 After the Curfew Production Producer 58
Average
1954 Heboh Production Producer N/A
N/A
1953 Kafedo Production Producer N/A
N/A
1953 Krisis Production Producer N/A
N/A
1953 The Tiger from Tjampa Production Producer 58
Average
1952 Terimalah Laguku Production Producer N/A
N/A
1951 Six Hours in Djogja Production Producer 58
Average
1951 Unforgivable Sin Production Producer N/A
N/A
1950 The Long March Production Producer N/A
N/A