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Short Film by Malang Director Wins Australia-Indonesia Cinema Competition

Short Film by Malang Director Wins Australia-Indonesia Cinema Competition
An illustration for the promotional poster of "Nunggu Teka" © 88 Mil Production/File

A film by Indonesian newcomer director Mahesa Desaga, Nunggu Teka (Waiting to Arrive), was named winner of a short film competition in the 2017 Australia-Indonesia Cinema Festival (FSAI) at XXI Senayan City cinema in South Jakarta on Sunday.

The 14-minute film follows a mother who lives alone in an old traditional house. While waiting for her only son to come home during the Idul Fitri celebration, she prepares his favorite food dishes.

Mahesa, who hails from Malang, East Java, said the story was based on his personal experience. “I am now at the age where I often ‘act busy’. When my mother asks where I am, I usually answer that I’m busy with work. Then, I thought, how does my mother feel about this?” he said.

He added that the film did not intend to put a conclusion to the story. “The audience must have their own background with their own mothers. They will perceive [the ending] on their own,” the Brawijaya University alumni said.

The film marked the first creation of 88 Mil Production, which was established by Mahesa alongside other members of Malang-based film communities in 2015.

Kamila Andini (left) and Mahesa Desaga (right) pictured together after the Australia-Indonesia Cinema Festival's short film competition winner announcement at XXI Senayan City theater, South Jakarta. Image: JP/Masajeng Rahmiasri
Kamila Andini (left) and Mahesa Desaga (right) pictured together after the Australia-Indonesia Cinema Festival's short film competition winner announcement at XXI Senayan City theater, South Jakarta. Image: JP/Masajeng Rahmiasri

 

One of the competition's judges, Kamila Andini, described Nunggu Teka as a film that can touch the viewers' feelings. “It has a universal theme about a mother, while at the same time it is authentically Indonesian due to the setting in Lebaran,” she said.

Kamila added that the film was consistent from start to finish. 

As the winner of the competition, Nunggu Teka is being considered to be screened in the Melbourne International Film Festival slated for August. Mahesa said that he would use this opportunity to learn more about Australian films, as well as introduce Lebaran culture in Indonesia to the audience.

Aside from Nunggu Teka, a one-take film by Happy Salma, Ibu dan Anak Perempuannya (A Mother and A Daughter), also received an award at the competition. Adapted from Happy’s novel, Pulang (Going Home), it has been recognized by both viewer’s choice and jury’s special mention awards due to its “great script writing, superb acting and elegant performance", as well as its meaningful ending, said Kamila.

Alison Purnell, a counselor at the Advocacy and Outreach Section of the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, said that the embassy planned to hold another short film competition next year and add new categories, such as fiction, non-fiction and animation. 


Source : Jakarta Post

Indah Gilang Pusparani

Indah is a researcher at Badan Perencanaan Pembangunan Penelitian dan Pengembangan Daerah Kota Cirebon (Regional Development Planning and Research Agency of Cirebon Municipality). She covers More international relations, tourism, and startups in Southeast Asia region and beyond. Indah graduated from MSc Development Administration and Planning from University College London, United Kingdom in 2015. She finished bachelor degree from International Relations from University of Indonesia in 2014, with two exchange programs in Political Science at National University of Singapore and New Media in Journalism at Ball State University, USA. She was awarded Diplomacy Award at Harvard World Model United Nations and named as Indonesian Gifted Researcher by Australian National University. She is Researcher at Regional Planning Board in Cirebon, West Java. She previously worked as Editor in Bening Communication, the Commonwealth Parliament Association UK, and diplomacy consulting firm Best Delegate LLC in USA. Less
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