Continuing their streak of international recognition, students from Universitas Dian Nuswantoro (Udinus) Semarang achieve yet another milestone as their seventh short film was showcased at The Student World Impact Film Festival (SWIFF) 2023.
The talented students from Udinus' Applied Students of Film and Television made a remarkable impact by competing against movies from 120 different countries at SWIFF 2023. Among the qualified films were 'Anglocita,' produced by Taufik Nabila; 'Babad Wingking Griya,' produced by Mahsa Livoni Aurellia; 'Preeetty Vacant,' created by Faizal Kusuma.
Whereas the film entitled 'Senandika,' directed by Dimas Eddy; and 'The Last Sunset,' produced by Ivan Valentinus were also qualified at SWIFF 2023. Following their success, two other movies called ‘Utopia’ and ‘Film 1’ by Akbar Ikhlas A and Radika Alif were qualified as well.
Faizal Kusuma the producer of ‘Preeetty Vacant’ said that he didn’t expect that his movie would reach the international level. With the help of his 30 colleagues, the process of filmmaking was made during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Because of that, his team faced a lot of difficulties. The film 'Preeetty Vacant' shed light on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, which compelled individuals to avoid crowded areas and prioritize their health. However, during these precautions, a mass presidential election unintentionally attracted large gatherings.
Faizal Explained, “During the pandemic, many people suffer not only financially but also physically and mentally. We tried to implement all kinds of positive messages in our movies.”
Fun fact, SWIFF is one of the biggest film festivals showcasing movies made by college students. The 2023 SWIFF would be held from June 18th until June 25th, 2023. The qualified films would be screened online. SWIFF had already helped more than ten thousand films all around the world. SWIFF also offered opportunities for producers to improve their careers and exposure in the entertainment industry.
Meanwhile, The Head of the Film and Television Study Program, Dr. Ruri Suko Basuki., was happy with the achievement of the aforementioned students. He hoped that the other students would be more motivated as well. The outline of education at FTV Study Program Udinus is making students produce a movie. start from a documentary to a fiction film.
“As representatives of all lecturers, we extend our sincere congratulations to all the students who have brought recognition to Udinus through their overseas filmmaking endeavors. In addition to fostering a culture of film production, we fully support our students in submitting their works to various film festivals, both in Indonesia and abroad.” Said Dr. Ruri. (Udinus Public Relation/Alex. Photo: Udinus PR)
