Though Australia and Indonesia are neighbors, we don't seem to know each other very well. But through cinema, we will find that we have much more in common. On Thursday afternoon, we had the chance to sit down with Steve Rodgers, Australian actor and writer who has 30 years of experience in the creative industry. Earlier that day, Steve was the main speaker for a masterclass about storytelling through characters, which was held in GoWork, Plaza Indonesia, Central Jakarta. The masterclass was moderated by Indonesian actress, who is also an Australian alumni, Marissa Anita.
Steve was the co-writer of Sweet As, one of the 7 films that is currently being screened in CGV Cinemas as part of Festival Sinema Australia Indonesia. Sweet As is a coming-of-age film about Murra, a 16-year-old indigenous teen who joins a photo safari for at-risk kids after being abandoned by her mother. Set in the sacred and vast Pilbara landscapes, the film tells the story of friendship, first love, and the journey of self-discovery. Sweet As has received several awards, including Best Feature Film from the Asia-Pacific Region in Toronto International Film Festival.
 Steve Rodgers and Marissa Anita during masterclass/ Foto: FSAI |
A Bittersweet Tale of Youth
According to Steve, it took 10 years to finally be able to bring the idea of Sweet As to the big screen. Sweet As was written based on the personal story of Jub Clerc, the director of this film as well as Steve's long-time colleague and friend. "We met through playwriting in Australia, and that was a long time ago. Through that process we became friends, and 10 years ago she told me the idea. And then years later, she contacted me and told me she got a producer," he said. After telling him the good news, Jub then invited Steve to collaborate on the script.
For Steve, the fact that this film was written and directed by an indigenous woman who tells the story of her own experience is something that should be celebrated. Everything that happened to Murra in the film, happened to Jub. When she was 14, she joined a photo safari for at-risk kids organized by National Geographic. And just like Murra, Jub fell in love with photography. Now she's a director, and her debut feature film has won prestigious awards.
Sweet As is as important for Jub as it is for Steve, because coming-of-age films are his personal favorites. To him, coming-of-age films are reminders of what being young used to be like, it reminds him of a time when everything felt confusing. As for the writing process, Jub and Steve took a different approach to make this film as authentic as it can be, such as going to the real location and writing the script there. "It had to be authentic. It had to be real. So we just did what she did in real life. Jub and I went to the area so we wrote the film in those landscapes," he told us.
Sweet As depicts the highs-and-lows of being a teenager, but it is also a fun, road movie that can be enjoyed by audiences from every age. Even though it was set in Pilbara landscapes, this film reminds us a little bit of John Hughes' 80's teen flick, The Breakfast Club—which Steve said they used as a model. "I remember when I saw The Breakfast Club when I was young, I was thinking 'I love this film'. Even now I think if I watch it, it's probably problematic in some areas. But it was a model, in terms of teenage audience and the characters' dynamics," he said.
Future Collaborations
When we asked him about the possibility of future collaborations between Australian and Indonesian filmmakers, Steve thinks that it would be wonderful to be able to sit together and share ideas with each other. A shared love for cinema, that is his impression after speaking in today'smasterclass and meeting with enthusiastic audiences. He admits to us, "Back in Sydney, I'm not thinking 'Oh, Indonesia, they really love film.' And I met all these amazing people who want to make films. Imagine if we have the opportunity to talk with each other aboutfilmmaking. And we should collaborate, we're neighbours, we live next to each other."
 An audience member asking questions during a masterclass session with Steve Rodgers/ Foto: FSAI |
Truthfully, we share the same sentiment with Steve, because probably Indonesians also didn't expect that Australians are as passionate as they are when it comes to cinema. Steve also expressed his concerns that the majority of Australians may not really know Indonesia as a country, despite the high numbers of Australian tourists that went to Bali for a holiday. But through our shared passion for cinema, perhaps we can open more doors for possibilities and collaborations. After all, that is what this festival is about.
From February 24th until March 18th, film lovers will have the opportunity to watch 7 films that will be screened in CGV Cinemas as part of Festival Sinema Australia Indonesia. Aspiring Indonesian filmmakers will also have the opportunity to learn from the experts, Victoria Duckett and Steve Rodgers, in 7 masterclasses which will be held in 7 cities across the country. Both the film screening and masterclass are free of charge.
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