Nico Pelamonia was an Indonesian actor turned film director who won the Citra Award for Best Director in 1976 for his film Semalam di Malaysia. He has been involved in 33 feature film productions since his debut in Fred Young's Dibalik Awan in 1963.
Biography
Pelamonia was born in Ambon, Maluku, on 16 March 1940. His parents intended for him to become a priest, and after senior high school he sent to Java to prepare for it. In 1962, however, Pelamonia enrolled at the Indonesian National Theater Academy. He had his first film role, a bit part in Fred Young's Dibalik Awan, the following year. During his school years he acted in two films, D. Djajakusuma's Masa Topan dan Badai and Pitrajaya Burnama's Karma. He was also involved in television, becoming a presenter for the newly established TVRI. In 1965 Pelamonia dropped out of ATNI and signed with Pertisa Film, later known as Tuti Mutia Film Production. Pelamonia's first film for the company, Fadjar Ditengah Kabut, saw him act and serve as assistant director to Danu Umbara. The following year Pelamonia made his directorial debut with Sendja di Jakarta, an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Mochtar Lubis. Two years later he departed for West Germany, where he studied filmmaking. Upon his return to Indonesia in 1970, Pelamonia resumed acting. He took a role in Hasmanan's Samiun dan Dasima in 1970. The following year he directed his first film since returning from West Germany, Jang Djatuh Dikaki Lelaki from the novel by Abdullah Harahap. He directed a further four films for Tuti Mutia, acting in several of them. This culminated with Semalam di Malaysia in 1975. After the film garnered him a Citra Award for Best Director at the 1976 Indonesian Film Festival, Pelamonia left Tuti Mutia and began working as a freelancer. Between 1976 and 1988 Pelamonia directed another 13 films, mostly romances. His 1981 adaptation of Marga T's Dr. Karmila garnered him another Citra Award nomination, although he lost to Arifin C. Noer of Serangan Fajar. Pelamonia has also acted in a further ten films, including Nagabonar in 1986; the film was submitted for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, although it was not nominated. During the 1980s he was active as a member of the Indonesian Film Festival selection committee and Chairman of Film and Television Employees Association.
