As Indonesia’s film industry continues to bloom, a remarkable collaboration among budding talents from diverse educational backgrounds has woven cinematic enchantment.
“Setan Alas!” or internationally titled “The Draft!,” a cinematic gem birthed from the synergy of vocational high school students, university scholars, and lecturers, has not only secured a place in the limelight but has clinched victory in three coveted categories at the Indonesian Screen Awards during the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival.
The accolades include Best Editing, Best Storytelling, and Best Film.
“Setan Alas!” epitomizes the spirit of cross-generational collaboration within the creative industry. The film showcases an extraordinary synergy between students in the learning phase, zealous university students, and experienced lecturers orchestrating the creative process.
Yusron Fuadi, a lecturer at the UGM Vocational College and a Ph.D. student in Visual Arts and Performing Arts at the UGM Graduate School, spearheads this collaborative venture.
Fani Pramuditya, a lecturer at DEB, UGM Vocational College, and Munandar Aji Wibowo, an alumnus of UGM Vocational College, produced the film.
The Indonesian Screen Awards at JAFF 2023 shared the stage with other esteemed Indonesian films such as “Jatuh Cinta Seperti di Film-Film,” “Women from Rote Island,” “Onde Mande,” and “Ali Topan.”
In the Indonesian Screen Awards competition, “Setan Alas!” captivated the jury with its compelling narrative, meticulous editing, and adept blending of comedy and horror, serving as a meta-commentary on the tribulations and, ultimately, joys of filmmaking—a sincere love letter to horror cinema.
Far from conventional horror films, Yusron Fuadi, affectionately known as Mas Yos, the film’s director, describes “Setan Alas!” as a horror film with a twist. Audiences are invited to contemplate, unraveling the surprises that menace the main characters.
In response to this achievement, Mas Yos expressed gratitude, stating, “We are very grateful and proud to present this collaborative work on the prestigious competition stage.”
“This is concrete evidence that collaboration between younger generations with proper guidance can yield impactful and potentially extraordinary works in the Indonesian film industry,” he remarked on Monday (Dec. 4).
“Setan Alas” has been turning heads since its debut at regional film festivals. The triumphant sweep at the Indonesian Screen Awards at the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival is a monumental achievement for the creative team, especially noteworthy given that some competing films hail from major production houses in Jakarta.
Critic Hikmat Darmawan lauds “Setan Alas” as an original, uninhibited horror film that gleefully plays with the film medium and the horror genre—a breath of fresh, audacious air.
This triumph isn’t just a feather in the cap of the film’s production team; it’s an inspirational beacon for the younger generation in Indonesia to explore the boundless potential of cross-generational collaboration in crafting top-tier creative works.
The victory of “Setan Alas” heralds the resurgence of appreciation for boundless imagination. Indeed, the sky’s the limit.
Source: UGM Vocational College