Mentari Sang Penakluk Gelombang

This year’s Student Competition program is an attempt to expose topics closely related to the younger generation. Documentary films are used as a medium of exploration to uncover the world around them, as if they are acting as “detectives” who try to answer their internal questions. This program not only presents films that capture cultural legacy, as tradition is still a dominant theme, but also reflects their desire to understand social issues, intergenerational relations, and globalization challenges.

This year’s selection of student films showcases the filmmakers’ exploratory abilities in terms of fresh storytelling or perspective in observing an event/phenomenon. Furthermore, each exploration offered can still show the authenticity of the filmmakers who are students. This authenticity not only shows honesty in telling the story, but also shows how students as filmmakers reflect and take a stand on the issues they address. Student films ultimately do not stop at being a mere documentation instrument, but rather a means of exercising sensitivity, provoking curiosity, and enhancing critical thinking skills.

– Gerry Junus