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Christine Hakim

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Christine Hakim is a highly respected Indonesian actress, film producer, and activist. Many people in the film industry call her the "grande dame of Indonesian cinema." This title shows how much she is honored as a leader in her field. Born on December 25, 1956, in Kuala Tungkal, Jambi, she grew up in Yogyakarta. Her family has a mixed-race background with roots in many places. These include Padang, Aceh, Banten, Pekalongan, Madiun, and the Middle East. Growing up with such diverse heritage caused her to question her identity as a teenager.

Christine Hakim signing autographs, Festival Film Indonesia (1982), 1983, p54 (crop)
Christine Hakim signing autographs, Festival Film Indonesia (1982), 1983, p54 (crop)

Hakim did not originally plan to pursue a career in the arts. As a young person, she aspired to become an architect or a psychologist. Her path changed in 1973 when director Teguh Karya discovered her. He saw her modeling pictures in a magazine and asked her to appear in his film, *Cinta Pertama*. She initially only modeled to assist a friend. She accepted the acting role partly because she did not want to be impolite to Karya. After the film was completed, she won a Citra Award for Best Actress. This recognition convinced her to commit to a professional acting career.

Her early career involved learning the deep mechanics of her craft. In 1977, she starred in *Badai Pasti Berlalu*, which featured her on the poster and the soundtrack cover. She also worked on *Kawin Lari* (Elope) directed by Karya. This experience helped her understand how to study a character to see life from new perspectives. In 1976, she appeared in *Sesuatu yang Indah* (Something Beautiful). This was a significant milestone because it was the first film where she used her own voice. In earlier movies, her voice had been dubbed by Titi Qadarsih because Hakim's natural voice was considered "too heavy."

Throughout her career, Hakim has taken on roles that connect her to history and global cinema. In 1988, she played the Acehnese guerrilla leader Cut Nyak Dhien in the film *Tjoet Nja' Dhien*. She described this role as a huge honor and a very difficult challenge. The film won the Best International Film award at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival. It was also chosen as Indonesia's submission for the 62nd Academy Awards. In 2010, she expanded into Hollywood by playing Wayan, a Balinese *jamu* (traditional herbal medicine) seller, in *Eat Pray Love*. To prepare, she met the real person her character was based on.

Beyond acting, Hakim has mastered the complex process of film production. She began branching out into producing roles in 1998. During the production of *Daun di Atas Bantal* (Leaf on a Pillow), she learned a difficult lesson about technical management. To save money, she saved all the cans of exposed film to send to the lab at once. However, a technical fault in the camera had ruined all the footage. She had to reshoot everything because the error was not detected early enough. She later had more success with the 2001 film *Pasir Berbisik* (Whispering Sands), which she co-produced.

Christine Hakim signing autographs, Festival Film Indonesia (1982), 1983, p54 (crop)
Christine Hakim signing autographs, Festival Film Indonesia (1982), 1983, p54 (crop)

In recent years, Hakim has used her skills to create documentary films. She has made a documentary about Indonesian UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In 2011, she produced a documentary regarding autism to help educate the public. She is also working on a documentary about the Dayak people of Kalimantan. Her acting career continues to evolve, including her first horror role in the 2020 film *Impetigore*. In 2021, she even traveled to Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic to film her role in the HBO series *The Last of Us."

Christine Hakim signing autographs, Festival Film Indonesia (1982), 1983, p54 (crop)
Christine Hakim signing autographs, Festival Film Indonesia (1982), 1983, p54 (crop)

Finally, Hakim is a dedicated activist who uses her platform for social change. Since 2008, she has served as Indonesia's goodwill ambassador to UNESCO. In this role, she focuses on educational issues and disaster relief programs in South-East Asia. She has also become a strong advocate for people with autism. She founded the Christine Hakim feature to promote public education on the subject. She has even urged the government to protect the rights of autistic students in public schools. Her work connects the world of art to the vital needs of human rights and education.

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