In collaboration with the Licensing and Archives Working Group of the Directorate of Film, Music and Media and Manuprojectpro Foundation, in Medan on October 19, 2023. The Indonesian Film Archivist Society co-curated the film that was screened in the city for the first time in decades. Jacob Harahap’s “Air Mata Darah” (1964). The screening, which was quite lively and attended by approximately 50 community representatives in Medan, was followed by a discussion session that focused on the integration of film communities and local and central governments in saving Indonesian film archives spread across several regions.

Meanwhile, Jacob Harahap, a fairly unknown figure in Indonesian cinema, is a mysterious figure whose records are difficult to find, but in this collaboration program, Bang Manu as the founder of the Manuproject Foundation provided a little information that helped clarify who the figure behind the film Air Mata Darah, which is being screened in Medan this time. Jacob Harahap, is a director from North Sumatra, and was also the director of the film “Sungai Ular”, as well as other films produced by Radial, a well-known film company based in North Sumatra in the 1950s.

However, the information is not complete. IFAS in collaboration with Manuproject finally committed to working together to save the film archives of several directors from North Sumatra, one of which was Jacob Harahap’s work. His other film, Sungai Ular, the master copy has not been found until now.

But with the return of Air Mata Darah in the city of Medan, it is hoped that it will be able to reaffirm the position of North Sumatra in the national film scene, again.