Christine Hakim facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Christine Hakim
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Hakim in 2012
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| Born |
Herlina Christine Natalia Hakim
25 December 1956 Kuala Tungkal, Jambi, Indonesia
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| Occupation | Actress, producer, activist |
| Years active | 1973–present |
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Notable work
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| Spouse(s) |
Jeroen Lezer
(m. 2000) |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards | 9 Citra Awards |
Herlina Christine Natalia Hakim (born 25 December 1956) is a famous Indonesian actress, film producer, and activist. She was born in Jambi, Indonesia. Christine grew up in Yogyakarta and first wanted to be an architect or a psychologist.
Her life changed when director Teguh Karya discovered her for his 1973 movie Cinta Pertama. This role won her a Citra Award for Best Actress. This award convinced her to become an actress. Since then, she has starred in many films. These include Badai Pasti Berlalu (1977) and Tjoet Nja' Dhien (1988). She also had a small part in the Hollywood movie Eat Pray Love (2010). Christine Hakim has won nine Citra Awards. She also received a special lifetime achievement award from the Cinemanila International Film Festival. She has even been a judge at the famous Cannes Film Festival.
Since 1998, Hakim has also worked as a producer. She produced films like Daun di Atas Bantal and Pasir Berbisik. She also makes documentaries and works as an activist. She helps with education and supports people with autism. Since 2008, she has been Indonesia's goodwill ambassador for UNESCO. In this role, she focuses on important education issues.
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Early Life and Background
Christine Hakim was born on December 25, 1956. Her birthplace was Kuala Tungkal, Jambi. She grew up in Yogyakarta. Her parents were Oma Nurhadiaty and Hakim Thahar. Her family had roots from many different places in Indonesia. These included Padang, Aceh, Banten, and Pekalongan. Her family also had Middle Eastern roots. This made her wonder about her own identity when she was young.
Even though her parents were devout Muslims, they named her Christine and Natalia. This was because she was born on Christmas Day. In 2023, Hakim shared that her name came from a German doctor. This doctor helped her mother give birth in a remote area of Jambi.
A Career in Film
Starting as an Actress (1973–2000)
Christine Hakim did not plan to be an actress at first. She wanted to be an architect or a psychologist. However, director Teguh Karya saw her pictures in a magazine. He then cast her in his 1973 film Cinta Pertama. She was only modeling to help a friend. She did not want to act, but she could not say no to Karya. She found him to be a very kind person.
She later said that Karya slowly convinced her to act. After filming, she thought about quitting acting. But her work in Cinta Pertama won her a Citra Award for Best Actress. This award made her decide to continue acting. Karya later told her that his producer worried she was "too thin." But Karya believed in her talent.
The next year, Hakim starred in another Karya film. It was called Kawin Lari (Elope). This experience helped her understand acting much better. She felt she could see life from new angles by studying her characters. After that, she acted in Sesuatu yang Indah (Something Beautiful) in 1976. This film was directed by Wim Umboh.
Sesuatu yang Indah was the first movie where Hakim used her own voice. Before this, her voice was dubbed by another actress. People thought Hakim's own voice was "too heavy." The next year, she starred in Badai Pasti Berlalu. She appeared on the movie poster and the soundtrack album cover.
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In November 1983, Hakim showed 14 Indonesian films at a festival in France. She had acted in half of those films. Two years later, she attended the Cannes Film Festival. There, she met Pierre Risient. He later helped her bring her films to Cannes.
One of these films was Eros Djarot's 1988 movie Tjoet Nja' Dhien. In this film, Hakim played Acehnese guerilla leader Cut Nyak Dhien. The movie won an award at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival. Hakim said this role was a "huge honor" and very challenging. She felt this role helped her understand her own identity. The film was later sent to the 62nd Academy Awards. It was Indonesia's entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
Ten years later, Hakim showed her first film as a producer. It was Daun di Atas Bantal (Leaf on a Pillow). She showed it at Cannes. For this film, she chose a young director named Garin Nugroho. She thought he was very talented. She also played the main role in the film. During production, she made a mistake that required reshooting all the footage. She had saved all the film to send to the lab at once. The lab then told her that a camera problem made all the film unusable. If she had sent each film can as it was shot, they could have found the problem earlier.
Continuing Success (2000–Present)
Another film she produced was Pasir Berbisik (Whispering Sands) in 2001. This film went much more smoothly. Hakim co-produced it and played the main role. It was shown at the Deauville Asian Film Festival. The next year, she was chosen to be a judge at the Cannes Film Festival. She served alongside actress Michelle Yeoh. In 2005, she received a special honor at the 7th Deauville Asian Film Festival.
In 2003, Hakim started working on a TV show. It was called Untukmu Guru (For You, Teacher). Five years later, Hakim became Indonesia's goodwill ambassador for UNESCO. She uses this role to promote education. She also supports education reforms in Indonesia. She helps with disaster relief programs in Southeast Asia.
Christine Hakim had her first Hollywood experience in 2010. She played Wayan, a Balinese jamu seller. She acted alongside Julia Roberts in Eat Pray Love. She arrived in Bali just three days before filming. She quickly had to read the script and get ready for her role. She also met the real person her character was based on. That same year, Hakim received a FIAPF Award for her "outstanding achievements."
Hakim also makes documentary films. She has made a documentary about Indonesian UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In 2011, she produced a documentary about autism. This film aimed to "educate the public." It was released to mark World Autism Awareness Day. As of May 2011, she was producing a documentary about the Dayak people of Kalimantan. She is also thinking about making a fiction film based on their culture.
In 2020, Hakim won a Citra Award for Best Supporting Actress. This was for her role in Joko Anwar's horror film Impetigore. This film was the first horror film of Hakim's career.
In 2023, Hakim was cast in the HBO series The Last of Us. She played a mycologist from Jakarta. She traveled to Canada to film her scenes in 2021.
Activism and Causes
In the early 2000s, Christine Hakim became an activist. She focused on education. After the terrible 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, she made many trips to Aceh. She helped with humanitarian efforts there.
She also started the Christine Hakim feature. This foundation helps teach people about autism. She has asked the government to correct wrong ideas about autism. She believes that not letting autistic students into public schools is "a violation of human rights."
Personal Life
In 2000, Christine Hakim married Jeroen Lezer. He is a Dutchman who is an actor, film sales director, and writer. They live in Cibubur, East Jakarta. They live with Hakim's mother and her daughter, Shena.
Legacy and Recognition
Christine Hakim is often called the "grande dame of Indonesian cinema." She is also known as "Indonesia's foremost actress." She received a lifetime achievement award at the Cinemanila International Film Festival. Hakim has been asked many times to be a judge for the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. However, she has not been able to due to her busy schedule.
