Credits
Director and Producer: Robert Lemelson
Producer and Post Production Supervisor: Alessandra Pasquino
Directors of Photography: Wing Ko, Dag Yngvesson
Consulting Editor: Pietro Scalia
Editors: Sandra Angeline, Herbert Bennett, Wing Ko, Mike Mallen, Chisako Yokoyama
Music Supervisor: Richard Henderson
Composer: Malcolm Cross
Graphic Designer: Mike Mallen
Consulting Psychiatrist: Mahar Agusno
Field Researcher: Ninik Supartini
ROBERT LEMELSON
Director, “Afflictions”
Dr. Robert Lemelson is a documentary filmmaker and anthropologist whose work focuses on personal experience, culture and mental illness in Indonesia and the United States. “& Mental Illness in Indonesia” is Dr. Lemelson’s second documentary project. His first, “40 Years of Silence: An Indonesian Tragedy” (2009), is a feature-length film about the impact on four families of Indonesian President Suharto’s violent purge of suspected communists.
Dr. Lemelson is adjunct professor in the University of California, Los Angeles’s (UCLA) Department of Anthropology and research anthropologist at the University’s internationally renowned Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior in its Center for Culture and Health. He is also the founder and CEO Los Angeles-based documentary film company Elemental Productions, which brings together scholars with Hollywood filmmakers to create educational and impactful content.
Dr. Lemelson began his research into the relationship of culture to psychiatric and neuropsychiatric disorders in 1993, in Bali and Java, as a Fulbright Scholar. The findings from this period form the basis of the two aforementioned documentary projects. He is currently researching and developing a film series about genderized violence and kinship in Indonesia, among other projects.
Dr. Lemelson is the founder and President of the Foundation for Psychocultural Research (The FPR), which advances and supports interdisciplinary research and training in neuroscience, psychiatry and anthropology. He also serves as director, co-vice president and secretary of The Lemelson Foundation, a family foundation promoting innovation and invention in America and the developing world.
Dr. Lemelson’s research has been published in the journals “Culture,” “Medicine and Psychiatry,” “Medical Anthropology Quarterly” and “Transcultural Psychiatry,” among others. He has presented papers at numerous scientific meetings.
Dr. Lemelson co-edited “Understanding Trauma: Integrating Biological, Clinical, and Cultural Perspectives,” published by Cambridge University Press in 2007. His edited volume, “Revisioning Psychiatry: Integrating Biological, Clinical, and Cultural Approaches,” will be published by Cambridge Press in 2012. Dr. Lemelson is currently working on an ethnography of mental illness utilizing the “Afflictions” studies as a focal point.
Dr. Lemelson received his M.A. from the University of Chicago and Ph.D. from the Department of Anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, specializing in Southeast-Asian studies, psychological anthropology and transcultural psychiatry.
ALESSANDRA PASQUINO
Producer and Postproduction Supervisor, “Afflictions: Culture & Mental Illness in Indonesia”
Producer and postproduction supervisor of “Afflictions: Culture & Mental Illness in Indonesia,” Alessandra has had her hand in numerous motion pictures, documentaries and commercials for leading advertisers through the course of her career. She has held a variety of roles and has worked with such renowned filmmakers as Oliver Stone, Leonardo Di Caprio, Wayne Wang, Klaus Kinski and Gregory Colbert, among others.
Pasquino joined Elemental’s team in 2008. She postproduced “40 Years of Silence: An Indonesian Tragedy,” Elemental Productions documentary about former Indonesian President Suharto’s violent purge of suspected communists. She is working with Dr. Lemelson to develop future projects on culture and mental health around the world.
Pasquino is also an independent filmmaker in her own right and is currently developing her feature debut, “Sky Burial,” a drama about the Chinese invasion of Tibet in the 1950’s, based on the book of the same name by famed Chinese writer Xinran.
DAG YNGVESSON
Cinematographer, “Shadows & Illuminations,” “The Bird Dancer,” “Family Victim,” “Memory of My Face”
Additional Camera, “Ritual Burdens” and “Kites & Monsters”
Dag Yngvesson served as director of photography on the majority of the “Afflictions: Culture & Mental Illness in Indonesia” film series as well as on “40 Years of Silence: An Indonesian Tragedy,” an Elemental Productions documentary film about former Indonesian President Suharto’s violent purge of suspected communists.
Yngvesson was the cinematographer on “Stoked: the Rise of Gator,” a documentary about the rise and fall of skateboard legend Mark “Gator” Ragowski and wrote, produced and edited “Rated X: A Journey through Porn,” about the Los Angeles porn industry. Yngvesson studied film and anthropology at Pitzer and Hampshire Colleges, where he made his first films: “The Kaos Company,” a documentary on squatters in Gothenburg, Sweden, and “Making Skateboards in New Russia,” about skateboarder/entrepreneurs in St. Petersburg after the fall of communism.
WING KO
Cinematographer, “Ritual Burdens” and “Kites & Monsters”
Editor, “Shadows & Illuminations”
Additional Camera and Still Photography, “Afflictions: Culture & Mental Illness in Indonesia”
Wing Ko wore multiple hats on “Afflictions: Culture & Mental Illness in Indonesia.” He was cinematographer on “Ritual Burdens” and “Kites & Monsters,” edited “Shadows & Illuminations,” shot additional footage for several of the films, and served as set still photographer.
Through the course of his career, Ko has collaborated with a who’s who of trendsetting artists, musicians and filmmakers. He worked with Spike Jonze on several music videos and edited the pilot for MTV’s “Jackass,” which Jonze co-created and executive produced. As a founding member of the innovative production company H-Gun, Ko helped create more than 80 music videos for Nine Inch Nails, Sound Garden, Smashing Pumpkins and other top bands of the time. For more than 15 years, he crewed skateboard videos and traveled the globe with world-renowned installation artist Doug Aiken, working on his films “Eraser,” “Into The Sun” and “Electric Earth.”
Ko is currently directing his long-gestating documentary, “The Brotherhood,” about the up-and-down lives of three prominent Chicago skateboarders. The film premiered April 2012 at the Foundation for Asian American Independent Media Showcase (FAAIM).
PIETRO SCALIA
Consulting Editor, “Afflictions: Culture & Mental Illness in Indonesia”
Pietro Scalia was consulting editor on “Afflictions: Culture & Mental Illness in Indonesia,” providing overall story and editing guidance. He did the same on “40 Years of Silence: An Indonesian Tragedy,” Elemental Productions’ documentary about former Indonesian President Suharto’s violent purge of suspected communists.
Ridley Scott, Oliver Stone, Bernardo Bertolucci and Gus Van Sant are just some of today’s leading directors with whom Scalia has collaborated. Among the many editing honors he has garnered are Academy and A.C.E. Eddie Awards for both “Black Hawk Down” and “JFK” and BAFTA and A.C.E. Eddie Awards for “Gladiator.” Other top editorial credits include: “Goodwill Hunting,” American Gangster,” “Memoirs of A Geisha” and “Little Buddha,” as well as the highly anticipated 2012 releases “Prometheus” and “The Amazing Spider-Man.”
Scalia earned his MFA from the UCLA Film School, and began his editorial career as an assistant editor with Oliver Stone on “Wall Street” and “Talk Radio” and as additional editor on “Born on the Fourth of July” and “The Doors.”
CHISAKO YOKOYAMA
Editor, “Kites and Monsters,” “Memory of My Face”
Chisako Yokoyama edited two “Afflictions” titles: “Kites and Monsters” and “Memory of My Face.” For more than two decades, she has worked as an editor and assistant editor on studio motion pictures, independent features and narrative and documentary short films. Her credits as editor include the English and Japanese language independent films “Saki,” “Takamine” and “Goemon” and as first assistant editor, “American Gangster,” “Memoirs of a Geisha,” “Black Hawk Down” and “Good Will Hunting.” Yokoyama graduated from the film studies program at the University of California at Santa Barbara.
SANDRA ANGELINE
Editor, “Family Victim,” “Memory of My Face”
Sandra Angeline edited “Memory of My Face” and “Family Victim” for Elemental Productions. Angeline’s credits as editor also include “Broken,” “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” and other shows for ABC, Travel Channel and The Style Network. She has worked as an assistant editor on the television series “Wilfred” and the feature films “Smart Ass” and “The Odd Life of Timothy Green.” Angeline studied film at CUNY Hunter College, New York and New York Film Academy.
HERBERT BENNETT
Editor, “The Bird Dancer” and “Ritual Burdens”
Herbert Bennett edited “The Bird Dancer” and “Ritual Burdens” for Elemental Productions. He is a two-time Emmy Award winning editor and was instrumental in the postproduction of three Academy Award-nominated documentary films: “Weather Underground,” “Berkeley in the 60’s,” and “Promises.” Herbert lives in Los Angeles, CA, where he edits films and new media.
MIKE MALLEN
Graphic Designer, “Afflictions: Culture & Mental Illness in Indonesia”
Editor, “Ritual Burdens”
Mike Mallen designed the graphics for “Afflictions: Culture & Mental Illness in Indonesia” and edited “Ritual Burdens.” He has been an editor, graphic designer and visual effects artist for the past nine years, working in a wide range of genres including reality television, documentaries and scripted films.
RICHARD HENDERSON
Music Supervisor and Music Editor, “Afflictions: Culture & Mental Illness in Indonesia”
Two-time M.P.S.E and Golden Reel-winner Richard Henderson was the music supervisor and music editor on “Afflictions: Culture & Mental Illness in Indonesia,” steering the overall direction of the soundtrack.
With roots as a musician and writer, Richard has spent nearly two decades working on soundtracks for leading independent films and TV series. He was the music supervisor and music editor on “Bruno” and “Borat: Cultural Leanings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan,” and music editor on “Corman’s World: Exploits of a Hollywood Hero,” “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou,” “Into the Wild” (for which he earned one of his two A.C.E. Golden Reels), the 2012 release “The Dictator,” and, most recently, the HBO TV series “Luck.” He was also music editor and supervisor on “40 Years of Silence: An Indonesian Tragedy,” Elemental Production’s documentary about former Indonesian President Suharto’s violent purge of suspected communists.
In the early 80’s, Henderson played with Jon Hassell’s concert group, which featured Brian Eno and Michael Brook. He followed with composing soundtracks for television commercials and short films and with writing about ethnomusicology, film music and avant-pop (which he continues to do to this day). Richard’s articles have appeared in The Wire (U.K.), Billboard, The Beat, Soma, Escape, LA Weekly and Murder Dog.
MALCOLM CROSS
Composer, “Afflictions: Culture & Mental Illness in Indonesia”
Malcolm Cross was the composer on “Afflictions: Culture & Mental Illness in Indonesia,” as well as for “40 Years of Silence: An Indonesian Tragedy,” Elemental Productions documentary about former Indonesian President Suharto’s violent purge of suspected communists.
Cross has been a professional composer for film, television and stage since 1996. He composed the score for “Oh Saigon,” a documentary broadcast on the Sundance Channel that memorably combined American and Vietnamese music to tell the story of Vietnamese refugees forced to leave their country. He scored the independent shorts “I Dream of Dog” and “Insomniac Obsession,” and wrote the theme and incidental music for the television series “America’s Prom Queen” (ABC Family). Cross’s music has been featured in the television series “Road Rules” (MTV) and “Men in Trees” (ABC) and in the romantic comedy “Something New” (Focus Features).
Past work includes serving as music director for the Cambridge ADC Touring Theater Company and City at Peace Los Angeles and creating original music for touring versions of ‘As You Like It’ and ‘Hummingbirds.” Cross studied music performance and composition in London at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
MAHAR AGUSNO
Consulting Psychiatrist, “Afflictions: Culture & Mental Illness in Indonesia”
Mahar Agusno is head of the Psychiatric Department at Sardjito General Hospital and head of the Study Program, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Gadjah Mada University. He received his M.D. & psychiatric training from Faculty of Medicine, Gadjah Mada University.
Agusno’s long-term service at the community and mental hospital has contributed significantly to his interest in community and cultural psychiatry. After he finished his mandatory service in a mental hospital in Borneo in 1997, Agusno returned to the Department of Psychiatry, Gadjah Mada University to serve as a lecturer. Simultaneously, he worked at the university’s teaching hospital, Sardjito General Hospital. In 2002, Agusno was awarded a Freeman Fellowship to study medical anthropology at Harvard Medical Schoo
NINIK SUPARTINI
Field Researcher, “Afflictions: Culture & Mental Illness in Indonesia”
Niki Supartini assisted Dr. Lemelson in two research projects about community mental health in Java and Bali. Since 2006, Supartini has served as a mental health and psychosocial consultant for international humanitarian organizations working in post-disaster and conflict areas in Indonesia and Myanmar.
Supartini studied English teaching as an undergraduate at the Yogyakarta Teacher Training Institute and lectured in English for more than ten years before turning her interests to community mental health. In 2004, she returned to school at Gadjah Mada University to earn her Masters Degree in Developmental Psychology. Supartini was honored with a Donald J. Cohen Fellowship in 2006 and East West Center Fellowships in 2006 and 2007.