CINTA LAURA KIEHL, ACTRESS/SINGER

Saturday, August 13, 2011
LOCATION SHOOTING RECENTLY WRAPPED UP FOR THE LATEST HOLLYWOOD MOVIE TO BE SHOT IN INDONESIA. "THE PHILOSOPHERS" IS SET IN A JAKARTA SCHOOL, WHERE STUDENTS TAKE AN EXPERIMENTAL TEST FROM AN ECCENTRIC TEACHER. ONE OF THOSE STUDENTS IS CINTA LAURA KIEHL, ACTRESS AND SINGER ABOUT TO TAKE OFF FOR NEW YORK AND COLLEGE.

IN: WELCOME CINTA. THIS IS SECOND MAJOR FILM IN TWO YEARS IN INDONESIA AFTER LAST SUMMER'S "EAT PRAY LOVE." HOW DID THEY COME TO CHOOSE JAKARTA THIS TIME?

CL: WELL, I KNOW ONE OF THE BIGGEST INVESTORS FOR THIS MOVIE IS INDONESIAN. BESIDES THAT, JOHN HUDDLES, THE DIRECTOR, ABSOLUTELY LOVES INDONESIA. HE STATES THAT INDONESIA IS PROBABLY THE CITY OF TOMORROW. INDONESIA IS CONTINOUSLY GROWING AND WE ALL KNOW THAT. THE MOVIE IS JUST GOING TO BE SO WONDERFUL. WE'VE BEEN SHOOTING IN PRAMBANAN, BROMO, BELITUNG. AND IT'S A CHANGE FOR ONCE BECAUSE MOST FOREIGNERS KNOW INDONESIA AS BALI, BALI IS THE PLACE TO GO. BUT THIS TIME WE SHOW THAT INDONESIA HAS SO MANY BEAUTIFUL PLACES.

IN: DESCRIBE YOUR ROLE AND HOW MUCH SCREEN TIME YOU GET.

CL: IN THIS MOVIE, WE'RE ALL IN AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL AND I PLAY AN INDONESIAN STUDENT NAMED UTAMI. I'M IN THE MOVIE MOST OF THE TIME ACTUALLY. PROBABLY 75% OR MORE BECAUSE WE REALLY COOPERATE IN THIS MOVIE. ALL THE STUDENTS MUST ALWAYS BE TOGETHER AND SO I GET A LOT OF SCREEN TIME.

IN: BUT I HEARD, UNLESS WITHOUT GIVING AWAY THE PLOT, YOU DIE? IS THAT GIVING AWAY TOO MUCH?

CL: WELL, I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT, BUT WE CONTINOUSLY TRANSITION FROM THE IMAGINARY WORLD TO THE REAL WORLD. WE HAVE TO SURVIVE A NUCLEAR WAR, SO ONLY 10 STUDENTS GET CHOSEN TO GO TO THE BUNKER TO SURVIVE DURING THE NUCLEAR WAR.

IN: AND YOU'RE ONE OF THEM.

CL: YOU HAVE TO SEE.

IN: BUT YOU'RE IN IT UNTIL THE END. YOU DON'T GET KILLED OFF IN THE FIRST 10 MINUTES?

CL: I'M THERE UNTIL THE END.

IN: BECAUSE YOUR FANS WOULD WANT TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO PAY FOR 10 MINUTES AND THEN YOU'RE GONE. LET'S TALK ABOUT YOU A LITTLE BIT. YOU'RE HEADING OFF TO THE U.S.. WHAT WILL YOU STUDY?

CL: I PLAN TO TAKE A DOUBLE MAJOR. I PLAN TO TAKE POLITICAL SCIENCE AND PSYCHOLOGY. BECAUSE IF I DON'T PURSUE ON MY ACTING OR SINGING CAREER IN THE FUTURE, I WANT TO REALLY TAKE MY MASTERS IN HARVARD LAW.

IN: LIKE BARACK OBAMA?

CL: PERHAPS.

IN: YES, HE WENT TO HARVARD. SO YOU'RE PREPARING A CAREER OTHER THAN PERFORMING. AND WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE? A POLITICIAN OR A LAWYER? LIKE YOUR MOM IS A LAWYER.

CL: WELL I'M STILL 17. I STILL HAVE SEVERAL YEARS TO GO.

IN: THAT'S TRUE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION TODAY.

CL: I REALLY WANT TO WORK FOR THE U.N. OR WORLD BANK.

IN: REALLY? GO VISIT SRI MULYANI INDRAWATI IN WASHINGTON AND GET SOME DIRECT ADVICE FROM HER. WILL YOU EVER RETURN TO YOU PERFORMING CAREER? HOW MUCH WILL YOU MISS IT?

CL: I'LL DEFINITELY MISS MY FANS HERE IN INDONESIA. BUT ACTING AND SINGING HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY HOBBY. EDUCATION HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY PRIORITY.

IN: AND PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT ABOUT YOU.

CL: PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT, WHICH IS A BIT ANNOYING. BUT LET THEM THINK WHAT THEY WANT TO THINK. AS LONG AS MY FAMILY AND MY CLOSE FRIENDS KNOW WHO I TRULY AM AND WHAT I ASPIRE TO BE.

15.08.2011. 04:20

DJOHAR ARIFIN HUSIN, CHAIRMAN, INDONESIAN SOCCER ASSOCIATION (PSSI)

Saturday, August 6, 2011

REGAINING THE PUBLIC'S TRUST IS HIS FIRST GOAL. THEN IT'S GETTING THE NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM TO SCORE GOALS. DJOHAR ARIFIN HUSIN BECAME CHAIRMAN OF THE INDONESIAN SOCCER ASSOCIATION, OR PSSI, LAST MONTH. THIS FOLLOWED A BITTER FIGHT FOR THE LEADERSHIP. HUSIN SAYS THE FIRST CHALLENGE IS PREPARING THE PLAYERS.

IMMEDIATE CHALLENGE
The senior team is practicing in Cilegon until August 28 to prepare to go to Iran. Coach Wim Rijsbergen is being assisted by former coaches from the Netherlands and South Korea. The program is designed to increase our players' conditioning because the opponent is really tough. Teams like Iran and Bahrain have played in the World Cup before, and they have begun to take players from Europe. Qatar is eager to be a host of the World Cup. Our opponents are well-prepared.

RAMADAN IMPACT
Fortunately all the teams are fasting, just the same like our players. Our practices are adjusted. It would be different if we were playing China or South Korea, but because it's Ramadan, our preparation could be better.

INPUT ON PLAYERS?
Oh I don't know. It depends on the coach. We are the Indonesian Football Association and don't interfere in player selection. It is fully the coach's responsibility.

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
We hope our players always feel comfortable with Senayan Stadium and feel like it's their own home. I hope the stadium can be finished with renovations before matches begin. We are coordinating with each other to make sure the construction is done on time.

08.08.2011. 07:46

MERRY PRAMONO, MUSLIM FASHION DESIGNER

Saturday, July 23, 2011
ISLAM'S HOLY MONTH OF RAMADHAN IS NEARLY HERE. IT'S A TIME WHEN MUSLIMS TAKE A LOOK INSIDE THEMSELVES THROUGH RITUALS SUCH AS FASTING. HELPING THEM LOOK GOOD ON THE OUTSIDE IS THIS WOMAN. MERRY PRAMONO IS ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S LEADING MUSLIM FASHION DESIGNERS.

IN: WHEN YOU CREATE A DESIGN, WHAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU DO?

MP: Before I create a design, the thing is, I have to make sure I'm happy. Because if I'm not happy or I have problem, and I have something at the back of my mind, my hand cannot move. Then if I'm happy, I can create.

IN: So you have to like what you do? You like what you have to wear. So you need to setup your own mood to be good, before you can create something. HOW HAVE MUSLIM FASHIONS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS?

MP: According to my observation, fashion for Muslims move very fast. For example, my design six months ago is not up to date anymore. And then I have to make new designs or new trend.

IN: Well, what you're wearing today is very bling, but still very traditional. You're wearing a hot pink jilbab.

MP: Yes, especially for women. They want to show and they want to follow the new trend. And they don't want to wear clothes or dress with old designs.

IN: WHAT ABOUT CRITICISM THAT WHILE WOMEN ARE WEARING JILBAB HEADSCARVES, THEY HAVE TIGHT CLOTHES BELOW THAT GO AGAINST ISLAMIC MODESTY?

MP: Yes I agree with that, but I'm not the designer who makes tight clothes. I have to make designs that follow the religion. Like not too tight and not see-through.

02.08.2011. 05:23