Oriental Film

Oriental Film

Oriental Film was a film production company in Batavia, Dutch East Indies. Established by ethnic Chinese businessman Tjo Seng Han in 1940, it completed four black-and-white films before it was closed in 1941. All the company’s films were screened into the 1950s but may now be lost.

About Oriental Film in brief

Summary Oriental FilmOriental Film was a film production company in Batavia, Dutch East Indies. Established by ethnic Chinese businessman Tjo Seng Han in 1940, it completed four black-and-white films before it was closed in 1941. All the company’s films were screened into the 1950s but may now be lost. They were directed by two men, Njoo Cheong Seng and Sutan Usman Karim, and launched the careers of actors such as Dhalia and Soerip. The company was unable to recoup its expenses of renting a Dutch-owned studio, and the company was shut down. It was followed by a further three films, which were targeted at low-income audiences and extensively used kroncong music.

The final production was Panggilan Darah in 1941, which was completed after Njoos wife Fifi Young had migrated to Majestic Film. It featured two new hires, Dhalia, and Soersip, who had established stage careers at the time and were well-known for their singing voices. The film was released in July 1940, and was well received by critics, including the Soerabaijasch Handelsblad and Nieuwsblad. It followed a young noblewoman who marries a nobleman despite her parents’ disapproval. In December 1940, Oriental released Zoebaida, a love story set in Timor starring Young as the title character, Oriental used bright, extravagant costumes.