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Living in a world of darkness hasn’t dampened Aulia Rachmi Kurnia’s (24) spirit to conquer the world. This young woman managed to break and even shatter her limitations as a person with vision impairment.
Proof of this is her list of achievements, both in academic and non-academic pursuits. In 2022, she was accepted into Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) to study Indonesian Literature.
In 2023, she directed a short film titled “Masih Tanda Tanya” (Still a Question Mark), which premiered in March 2023 and has been screened in film enthusiast communities across Indonesia.
Aulia was born with normal vision. However, at age five, she suffered a severe illness that caused her to lose sight. She lived for almost 20 years without ever seeing the splendor of a colorful world, yet she managed to bring color to the world through her work.
Becoming a film director takes work for a person with vision impairment. As a director, she weighs whether the audience will appreciate the film.
Her guidance directs the actors to portray their characters accurately and ensures that everything goes according to plan from the beginning to the end of the production.
She admitted there were unique challenges in filmmaking that relied on visual language. Amid these limitations, she is grateful for the presence of kind-hearted people who believe in her potential and support her in directing the film.
“Of course, there are difficulties due to visual limitations. However, I was greatly assisted by an assistant director who became my ‘eyes’ and an amazing team that worked together throughout the film production,” she explained.
“Masih Tanda Tanya” is Aulia’s debut film as a director. This 40-minute film tells the story of a couple where the man has a vision impairment. Amid their differences, their love is tested by the presence of a third person.
In addition to portraying the ups and downs of the love story between two teenagers with physical differences, the film also attempts to shed light on various disability-related issues.
“The film was inspired by the story of a friend with vision impairment,” she revealed.
Aulia’s journey into filmmaking began when she participated in a film class in 2022. She casually attended a film class in Yogyakarta alongside five of her friends with vision impairments. Their presence in the class was initially met with skepticism.
“At that time, the tutor was initially puzzled by why individuals with vision impairments were taking a film class. However, eventually, they were supportive after seeing our enthusiasm, and the tutor has become our mentor now,” she explained.
Previously, in 2021, Aulia was involved in producing the film “Seutas Asa” (A Strand of Hope). She was entrusted with one of the roles in the movie, also made by her friends with vision impairment.
Aulia never imagined reaching this point. Becoming a short film director had never crossed her mind, especially given her visual limitations.
She proudly and happily expressed her feelings about directing “Masih Tanda Tanya.” This opportunity marked her first experience in learning and creating in filmmaking.
“I never expected to become a director. I learned much about the shooting process, pre-production, and post-production management. I delved into scriptwriting, cinematography, and teamwork,” she explained.
Looking ahead, Aulia plans to write more film scripts while continuing to advocate for inclusive issues, especially related to disabilities, through film. She hopes her films can inspire many people in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, and the world.
“Don’t stop creating. Creating doesn’t discriminate, whether you have a disability or not. As long as there is intent, we can be creative and believe there are people who will support us,” she concluded.
Aulia is one of the students with vision impairments admitted at UGM. She has proven that her limitations do not hinder her from being creative, innovative, and continuously learning.
The presence of students with disabilities at UGM is a tangible example of UGM’s commitment to achieving inclusive, just, and equitable education for all members of society. This commitment aligns with the goals of sustainable development (SDGs).
Author: Ika
Photographer: Firsto