Obama movie opens in Indonesia
By Patrick Frater
Thu, 01 July 2010, 15:42 PM (HKT)
Obama The Menteng Kid (Obama Anak Menteng), a biographical film about the early life of Barack Obama in Indonesia opened in Jakarta today.
The film, directed by Damian Dematra is based on Dematra's book of the same title which tells a fictionalised version of the young Obama's four years in Indonesia between 1967 and 1971. Its release was intended to coincide with a visit to the country by the US President, which has now been cancelled two times.
The film skips some of the more political issues which the book tackles, including his learning of the Koran. It was produced and distributed by veteran producer Raam Punjabi, who says that it deliberately chose a non-political, and non-religious stance.
The young Obama is played by 14 year old actor Hasan Farooq Ali, who like Obama is American but has parents from Africa.
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