Prof. Dr. Ir. Mudijati Gardjito has taken a long, rocky road to become a maestro in food science. Commonly known as Bu Mur, she is an important figure in the local culinary landscape who has achieved many food-related research achievements that have changed the way we interpret food science in Indonesia. Although facing a decline in eyesight and hearing, she refuses to leave the gastronomy world. Murdijati Gardjito (2023) not only recounts the long road Bu Mur has taken in writing and releasing her new book this year but also shows all the obstacles she must face. The screening of Murdijati Gardjito (2023) in the Indonesia Feature-Length Competition program was held at Gedung ex Bioskop Permata on Monday, December 4, 2023 at 13.00 WIB. Hindra Setya Rini was present as the director for a Q&A session after the screening.
When asked about her meeting with Bu Mur, Hindra had previously done a project focusing on older adults. She was searching for an older female adult figure to appreciate, and the story of Bu Mur was appropriate and worth telling for her next project. Hindra wanted to show Bu Mur’s more personal character, leading her to an observational approach. She felt that this resulted in a more natural and less rigid take. Needless to say, Hindra and the filmmakers of Murdijati Gardjito (2023) accommodated Bu Mur’s health condition by getting to know her daily life, from sleeping hours to eating habits. Hindra said that Bu Mur was very excited about this documentary’s making process despite it potentially affecting her health adversely.
The Q&A session provides the viewer with many behind-the-scenes stories, not only behind the making of Murdijati Gardjito (2023) but also behind the success of Prof. Dr. Ir. Murdijati Gardjito. After facing declining health, she has been writing more and more books and making an irreplaceable impact on the ideas of gastronomy in Indonesia. This film can still be screened on December 7, 2023, at 15.00 WIB at the Auditorium of IFI-LIP Yogyakarta.
Covered by Aradi Ghalizha on December 4, 2023
