Striking a cinematic chord Adapting the best-selling local novel of all time to the big screen would surely seem a daunting task to any film director. Not only does he have to satisfy the book’s legions of fans; he also has to cannily attract a broader audience in the cinema-going public, which may not necessarily be familiar with the source novel. Laskar Pelangi director Riri Riza has managed to take the book’s big screen version beyond all expectations in creating a lauded box office juggernaut that’s since become the highest-grossing local film ever made. Riza … attributes the reason why Laskar struck a chord so well with audiences to its universal message of hope. Chronicling the struggles of a group of poor children in gaining access to primary school education, the bittersweet tale is a semi-autobiographical account of the author’s childhood in the Sumatran island of Belitong. “When I first read the novel I was amazed at how inspirational the story was. The importance of wholeheartedly pursuing one’s dreams is something all of us can relate to, which made it an essential story to tell, cinematically.”

Thrill of the Chase For Charles (“Charley”) Brookfield, the economic uncertainties that Indonesia is currently facing are not uncharted territory, by any means.   Arriving for the first time in Indonesia just before the economic crisis in 1997, he decided he wanted to stay, while many foreign investors, particularly those in the hospitality business, left.   Charley is president and CEO of the Aston International Indonesia group. Starting originally with a five-star hotel in both Jakarta and Bali, the company now operates 15 hotels, serviced apartments, “condotels” (which combine hotel and serviced residence facilities) and villas all over Indonesia. He adds that the company plans to open 20 more projects within the next three years, making Aston International one of the largest operators in the hospitality field, nationwide. Charley continues to see that Indonesia still has much to offer. Apart from the traditional tourism market, for instance, there is a huge potential market for retirement settlements in Bali.  “Before you can begin, though, you’ve got to have proper infrastructure such as an international-standard hospital and other facilities for senior citizens,” he asserts.