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Eros Djarot

arts Maturity 5-7 Next article →

Erros Djarot is a multifaceted Indonesian creator. He has made a significant impact through music, film, and politics. As a songwriter, he composed famous soundtracks. As a director, he created award-winning movies. He also served as a politician in Indonesia. His career shows how art and public service can overlap.

His journey began with a focus on technical studies. Djarot was born in Rangkasbitung, Banten, on July 22, 1950. He attended school in Yogyakarta and Belitung. In 1969, he moved to Cologne, West Germany. There, he studied Industrial Engineering at the Cologne University of Applied Sciences. He returned to Indonesia in 1975 and formed the music group Barong. Later, the American Embassy offered him a chance to study film. He attended the London International Film School to learn about cinema.

Djarot became a prominent soundtrack composer for many films. He began this work with the film Kawin Lari in 1976. His most famous musical work is the soundtrack for Badai Pasti Berlalu. This project earned him a Best Original Score award at the Indonesian Film Festival. Rolling Stone Indonesia even named this the best Indonesian album of all time. He also worked on films like Usia 18, Ponirah Terpidana, and Secangkir Kopi Pahit.

Music was not always a solo effort for Djarot. He collaborated with artists Chrisye and Jockie Soerjoprajogo. Together, they produced a famous trilogy of three albums. These albums were titled Resesi, Metropolitan, and Nona. The album Resesi was particularly successful in 1983. It sold 350,000 copies and received a silver certification. This shows the massive popularity of his musical collaborations.

In 1988, Djarot transitioned into film directing. His directorial debut was the film Tjoet Nja' Dhien. This movie was a major achievement for Indonesian cinema. It received nine Citra Awards, including the prize for Best Director. The film also represented Indonesia at the 62nd Academy Awards. It was submitted for the Best Foreign Language Film category.

Djarot also entered the world of Indonesian politics. He first joined the Indonesian Democratic Party. He later joined the Indonesian Democratic Party – Struggle, known as PDI-P. However, he eventually left that party due to disagreements with Megawati Sukarnoputri. In 2002, he formed the Bung Karno National Party. This new party was based on the principles of Sukarnoism. The party later changed its name to the Freedom Bull National Party.

His political and creative life faced challenges in 2008. He attempted to film a movie called Lastri. This story focused on a Communist Gerwani member. Although the Indonesian National Police headquarters in Jakarta gave permission, local police in Surakarta did not. The police in Surakarta prevented the filming from happening. They expressed fears that the film would spread communism. The Jakarta Post described this ban as a violation of freedom of speech.

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