Creative works by young Indonesians continue to shine on the international stage. The short film Mania Dunia Nia, a collaboration among university students from various campuses in Indonesia, including Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), won first place in the Inspiring Indonesia 2025 film competition held in Singapore on Oct. 25. The film was also selected to represent Indonesia in the Grand Final of the Inspiring Asia Microfilm Festival after outperforming 860 submissions from across Asia.
The Inspiring Asia Microfilm Festival is an international event initiated by the Lee Foundation and Asia Philanthropy Circle. The festival gathers hundreds of participants from across Asia through national-level selections, including Inspiring Singapore, Inspiring Thailand, and Inspiring Indonesia.
Mania Dunia Nia was named the first-place winner of Inspiring Indonesia 2025, granting it the opportunity to advance to the Asia-level competition alongside six other finalists from the region.
Yosafat Prasetya, a master’s student in Forestry who directed the film, shared how he and Derichson Qualimva, an Industrial Engineering student who served as editor, developed the project.
Reconnected through an organization they joined in high school, they agreed to collaborate with friends from several universities to produce the film.
“We heard about this competition, and coincidentally, all of us were on semester break. The timing was perfect, and I already had an idea for a story that felt very personal. So we decided to just go for it,” said Prasetya on Monday (Nov. 10).
Mania Dunia Nia was inspired by Prasetya’s reflections as a student overwhelmed by academic pressures, social expectations, and family-related challenges. He translated these concerns into a film.
The 10-minute short tells the story of Nia, a university student navigating a day filled with mounting demands, from assignments and part-time work to family dynamics and constant digital distractions.
Behind what appears to be a typical daily routine lies a deeper sense of mental fatigue and an unspoken desire to be acknowledged by those around her. The film portrays the complex realities of modern student life, where many struggle in silence.
“Since the main character is a woman, I had many discussions with the team about how to portray her experience authentically,” said Prasetya.
Working under tight deadlines did not deter the team from giving their best. They faced challenges, including unfavorable weather and last-minute location permits, which delayed production. The editing phase was also completed under significant time pressure, resulting in the team missing the initial submission deadline.
“Fortunately, the submission period was extended, giving us time to revise what needed revision,” said Derichson Qualimva.
The film’s visual approach and fragmented editing style were intentionally crafted to depict the protagonist’s chaos and mental strain. The work was praised by the judges, including filmmakers Kamila Andini and Benedion, for its ability to evoke empathy and emotional depth through an intimate fictional narrative.
The film’s central message highlights the importance of mental health awareness, particularly among students who often push themselves to remain constantly productive.
“At first, we just wanted to have fun and relive the excitement of making films. But it turns out that even simple anxieties can resonate with many people,” said Prasetya.
The success of Mania Dunia Nia demonstrates that Indonesian student creativity can compete at the Asian level. Both team members hope their work will inspire other students to be more open about mental health issues and to pursue creative expression without hesitation.
“Just create. Don’t overthink it. Don’t worry about whether it will be accepted, whether the film will resonate with audiences, or any other fears that come up. Instead of focusing on those fears, just keep creating,” said Qualimva.
Author: Jelita Agustine
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Salma
Photographs: Mania Dunia Nia Team