Change is the only constant in life. Some are perpetual like the seasons, but some are dynamic, allowing new circumstances to present themselves. This series of documentaries in the Student Competition presents the preservation of traditions amidst change. These students deliver works that celebrate the triumphs of the past and the attempt to preserve them as a defense for the future.
Viewers are introduced to the life of Samsul Bahri, penghulu khonde (Acehnese folk poet) in Sang Penyair (Engel Dela & Siti Nurajizah, 2021). He didn’t pursue formal education and chose to dedicate his life to the arts. Samsul founded a dance studio with the hopes of it becoming a fort that holds tradition, standing mighty-tall and resisting modern change. “I’ve lived far beyond my hometown, but its culture is still the vessel that moves my very soul.” He said, taking a puff of his cigarette. This documentary conveyed the hopes of Samsul Bahri, a legacy slowly fading, of preserving the arts and the culture he believes in.
They say youngdoers are the root of change. The documentary of Wani Ngembeg (Erwin Ramadhan, 2023) carried a similar theme to Sang Penyair (2021). The stark difference between the two is that in Wani Ngembeg (2023), the ambition of preserving culture was initiated by a group of local youths known as BOSSENI. Together, they came up with the idea of EbegFest to be held at Banjarnegara City Park (Alun-Alun) as a joint effort to remind locals the true essence of ebeg, a traditional art form in dying need of preservation.
What happens to those that had to grow up on the streets? Those who feel they might not have the same access as everyone else to be able to build a community? PTU (Suci Dian Kuspitaningsih, 2023) follows the story of a group of local youths that built a community based on love and solidarity after having had to face the brutal nature of living on the streets. They’re currently standing at crossroads, deciding on who might continue the movement that they’ve forged.
ir heritage. “I’ve gotten so used to doing this that my body won’t feel good if I skipped it”, Stated one of the women still using jingki. The program concludes with Ebeg Lovers (Kartika Tri Wardani, 2023), the documentary of a blooming love story amidst the old arts of ebeg. Through Ebeg Lovers (2023), we immerse in the rare combination of love and tradition.
So long as the world spins still, there will always be traditions to uphold. And those with burning passion, will continue to burn with this program. The Student Competition program serves as a reminder that history isn’t the only thing that defines cultural heritage, it’s also an identity to be celebrated and a legacy to be passed down to future generations.
Films listed above are selected in Student Competition Festival Film Dokumenter 2023. (Tirza Kanya) (Vanis/Adinta)
Film Details
Sang Penyair | Angel Della H Tarigan, Siti Nurajizah | 12 Min | 2021
Wani Ngembeg | Erwin Ramadhan | 10 Min | 2023
PTU | Suci Dian Kuspitaningsih | 17 Min | 2023
Jingki | Umi Maulina | 10 Min | 2021
Ebeg Lovers (Ebeg Sejoli) | Kartika Tri Wardani | 15 Min | 2023
Screening Schedule
12.07 | Bioskop Sonobudoyo | 13.00 WIB
12.09 | Bioskop Sonobudoyo | 13.00 WIB
