After winning awards at national and international film festivals over the past two years, Setan Alas! (The Draft!) is set to premiere on 181 cinema screens across various cities in Indonesia on March 5, 2026. Directed by Yusron Fuadi, this horror film was shot at a villa in Kaliurang and involved numerous extras portraying zombies who haunt the adventures of a group of students staying in an old house.
Yusron Fuadi revealed that the idea for producing the film originated from a challenge by the leadership of the Vocational College, Universitas Gadjah Mada (SV UGM), to develop its multimedia laboratory. This challenge was translated into film projects, one of which became Setan Alas!, which involved around 70 crew members and a 10-day shoot. He added that weather conditions posed the main obstacle during production.
“Rain was a particular challenge. In addition, half of the crew were students, so some were still unfamiliar with technical aspects. That’s where we learned together,” he explained on Tuesday (Mar. 3).
Regarding the title selection, Yusron said the name “Setan Alas!” was inspired by the diversity of exclamations in the Indonesian language. He emphasized that the film is the result of collaboration among various elements, including hundreds of vocational high school students from Yogyakarta and Solo.
“This film belongs to many people and many community elements, and it also communicates well with audiences,” he said.
Produced in 2022 and completed in 2023, the 84-minute film tells the story of five college students spending a weekend at an old villa in the middle of a forest. Setan Alas! builds tension through conflict, prejudice, and the psychological dynamics among the characters. This approach deliberately avoids reliance on jump scares commonly found in mainstream horror.
After winning Best Film, Best Storytelling, and Best Editing at the JAFF Indonesian Screen Awards 2023, the film was even described as “Amazing, Awesome, and Mindblowing” by director Joko Anwar. Internationally, the film had its world premiere at Fantastic Fest 2024 in Texas, United States, and was also screened in London and Toronto that same year. According to Yusron, the film successfully competed with several national films that had previously won the Citra Award.
Beyond the film version, the Setan Alas! universe has also been expanded into a digital game titled “Ganyang Setan Alas.” One student, Andhika Rahmanu, initially developed an Android-based game during a two-month internship program. Under Yusron’s direction, the project was later expanded to the PC platform to extend the story’s universe.
The game project was developed over three years and involved five students who adopted it as their undergraduate thesis topic. The game has also been introduced at a gaming industry event in Jakarta, establishing networks with professional developers.
“Initially, we developed the Android game during a two-month internship. Then, at Mas Yusron’s suggestion, it was expanded to PC to extend the Setan Alas! universe. The project took three years and became the thesis topic for five students,” he said.
“We have introduced the game at the Gamers to Gamers event in Jakarta, built many connections with professional developers, and it will soon be released and further developed.”
Wiryanta, Vice Dean of SV UGM, explained that the game development was not merely a creative project but part of curriculum integration and strengthened collaboration with industry partners. According to him, the production process involved cross-course learning alongside practical training relevant to industry needs.
“The game is also an embryo of collaboration between the Vocational College and its partners in curriculum development. It is unique because parts of it were filmed directly in the Wanagama Forest. The initial files were very large, and we later compressed them,” he said.
He added that this technical experience trained students in digital asset management, system optimization, and product distribution. Moving forward, the team aims to publish the game on Steam to enhance its global competitiveness.
“Our target is to publish it on Steam. Hopefully, it can become one of UGM’s flagship products,” he said.
The Dean of the SV UGM, Professor Agus Maryono, emphasized that the project represents a collective effort involving many elements within the SV UGM and the broader community. As dean, he fully supports the initiative.
“For the Vocational College, this is an extraordinary project because it involves many lecturers, students, and educational staff. As dean, I fully support it because through creativity and fiction, a nation can progress,” he said.
He explained that film production is not an isolated artistic endeavor but integrates various fields of knowledge.
“Creativity in IT and manufacturing has significantly supported this collective project. In addition, economic aspects such as management, fundraising, and marketing have also been involved,” he elaborated.
According to Professor Agus, the collaborative model established in the production of Setan Alas! demonstrates that synergy among university units holds significant potential for more systematic development. The involvement of various disciplines can create opportunities for cross-faculty collaboration, serving as a strategic step to strengthen UGM’s position not only as an educational institution but also as a center for competitive creative production.
“Hopefully, UGM, the Vocational College, and other faculties can collaborate to produce films. In that way, we can also become a hub of the creative industry,” he added.
Setan Alas! is scheduled for simultaneous release on 181 cinema screens across cities in Indonesia starting Mar. 5, 2026. Through this collective achievement, SV UGM, together with broader community elements, reaffirms its commitment to producing creative works grounded in education and real-world practice that can compete at both national and international levels.
Author: Zabrina Kumara
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya
Photo: Donnie and the Setan Alas! Film Team