Biography

Ratna Asmara was an Indonesian actress and film director. Originally active in theatre, in 1940 she starred in the romance film Kartinah, which her first husband Andjar directed. After appearing in several further films, she made her directorial debut in 1950 with Sedap Malam (Sweetness of the Night), which made her the first female film director in Indonesian history. Although her work was generally ignored, later female Indonesian directors. Ratna and her husband Andjar joined the Dardanella touring troupe in the early 1930s with the troupe she was known for the quality of her voice.