Erwin Arnada

Erwin Arnada (born 17 October 1963) is an Indonesian journalist and filmmaker. Born to a devout Muslim family in Jakarta, Erwin became interested in journalism in 1984, and, after a time as a photographer, he interned at the weekly Editor. Beginning in 1990 he took editorial roles in various print media, including the controversial tabloid Monitor. Erwin entered cinema in 2000, producing several films for Rexinema. After establishing Playboy Indonesia in 2006 Erwin became the center of controversy, as Islamic groups such as the Islamic Defenders Front protested the magazine as indecent – despite it not featuring any nudity. After an extended series of trials Erwin was convicted by the Supreme Court of Indonesia and sentenced to two years in prison, beginning in October 2010. He was released the following June, when the court reversed its decision. In 2012 Erwin was nominated for a Citra Award for Best Director for his film Rumah di Seribu Ombak, based on a novel he had written in prison. In 2023, Erwin then decided to publish the story of the publishing of Playboy Indonesia in a book entitled “Rabbit In Prison”. Published by Yayasan Okky Madasari (OM Institute) and edited by Moch Aldy MA. The book was launched on October 21, 2023 during the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival in Bali.