Wim Umboh

Ahmad Salim (26 March 1933 – 24 January 1996), better known by his birth name Wim Umboh but also known by the Chinese name Liem Yan Yung, was an Indonesian director who is best known for his melodramatic romances. Born in North Sulawesi, Umboh was orphaned at the age of eight and later adopted by a Chinese-Indonesian doctor. After high school, he moved to Jakarta and found work at Golden Arrow Studios as a janitor and, later, translator. In 1955 he made his screen debut as a director with Dibalik Dinding (Behind the Walls). During his career, which spanned more than forty years, Umboh directed close to fifty movies, which garnered 29 Citra Awards from the Indonesian Film Festival. He was diagnosed with liver cancer in 1978 but, after recovering, he continued to work until his death from complications of diabetes and a stroke. Umboh was married three times and had two children. An authoritarian director who strove for perfection, Umboh was known for experimenting with different technologies and, according to fellow director Teguh Karya, memorised the entire dialogue of his films during shooting. He preferred medium and close-up shots. Umboh influenced numerous Indonesian directors, including Karya, Slamet Rahardjo, Garin Nugroho, and Arifin C. Noer, and his work launched the careers of several Indonesian stars, including Sophan Sophiaan and Roy Marten. Among his most famous works are Pengantin Remadja (Teenage Bride; 1971), Mama (1972), and Pengemis dan Tukang Becak (The Beggar and the Pedicab Driver; 1978), the last of which was Umboh's personal favourite.