Tengkorak (Skull) film made by Universitas Gadjah Mada’s Vocational School has received positive responses from viewers who came to the Gala World Premiere Cinequest 2018 in San Jose, California, after it was nominated as Best Film in Sci-fi, Fantasy and Thriller category and the only representative from Indonesia in the festival.
“For four days of screening in two cities, San Jose and Redwood, the film has been positively and warmly responded by the US public,” said Wikan in a written statement sent to journalists on Tuesday (13/3).
After the screening of the 130-minute film, Wikan said, a Q&A was held. Various questions, comments, and appreciations came from the audience for the courage in the theme selection and excellent filming. The film has a female main character who acts as a scientist and president.
“Tengkorak film has been responded as a classy sci-fi film with the plot being not easy to guess. But it has entertained the viewers through its scenes and natural dialogue,” he said.
Barbara, a movie-goer from San Jose, said she had been entertained by the film she even saw it twice.
Joseph Rios, music composer and film observer, also praised Tengkorak, saying the dialogue in the scenes was natural and strong. He also praised the act by the casts especially during the scene on the tower. He said the film reflected Indonesian culture and amazing natural beauties.
Wikan said it was an honour to have Tengkorak nominated in Cinequest 2018. However, it did not win the best film category in Science Fiction, Fantasy & Thriller. The winner was Berlin Falling, directed by Ken Duken and starred by Tom Wlaschiha from Game of Thrones and it currently tops the German Box Office.
Wikan said despite the fact Tengkorak had not been the best film, this was a worthy experience for them as a beginner in wide-screen film production.
“We are sorry we have not made the best film in Cinequest 2018, but Tengkorak is the beginning of the next journey,” he concluded.
The World Premier of Tengkorak in San Jose was attended by Wikan, Yusron Fuadi (director, script writer, actor, producer), Eka Nusa Pertiwi (lead actress), and Anindita Surya Laksmi (Producer, Animator & Special Effect).
Tengkorak tells the story of the finding of a skull aged 170 thousand years after the earthquake in Yogyakarta in 2006. Such finding stirs debate among researchers and religious leaders, because the skull is older than human being. The debate hovers over whether to do research into the fossil or to eliminate it from earth.