On the Road with Riri Riza

My interview with Riri Riza to promote his latest film 3 Hari Untuk Selamanya (3 Days to Forever).

We did the interview in a cafe in Menara Imperium. I did the arrangement with Miles Films' publicist, Imelda Achsaningtias. The film's producer, Mira Lesmana, was also present, although she left the two of us engaging in quite a lengthy conversation about road trip, film, his own life journey, and women. 
A little more than an hour of a very focused interview for less than a thousand words, so I guess I didn't do too bad, did I?

One thing that draws me to Riri's works is his consistency in portraying strong female characters. These could not be more apparent in Petualangan Sherina, Eliana, Eliana, and Untuk Rena.

While he hardly works in the vein of George Cukor as women-themed director, albeit I mentioned the name in the conversation, Riri just smiled without wanting to elaborate further.

Instead, he told me a very interesting statement:

"I find the sexy appeals in male actors and characters, too."

I was intrigued to probe, yet, being an amateurish freelance journalist, I was only stunned. It was indeed the last statement I expected from him.

Of course, later he elaborated on Nicholas Saputra, the object of the above compliment, and Gie, which clearly marked his departure of the above said strong women persona, and the start of the actor and the director's fruitful collaboration in 3 Days.

The above quote did not make to the final submission.

Still, I did not mind the editing, pretty much the printed article kept the essence of what I had aimed on the first place: a profile of an emerging prolific director.

Read the full article here.

Photo is courtesy of Miles Films, although what appeared in the printed paper was taken from the paper's archive. 

Obviously it was taken during the making of the film.