The Rise of Regional Language Films to Achieve Awards on the International Stage

Kapanlagi.com - The rise of local language films marks a positive development in Indonesian cinema that has gained recognition both nationally and internationally. This proves that regional languages remain relevant and can attract audiences with their unique stories.

One of the factors supporting the rise of regional language films is the support from local governments. Provincial governments (Pemprov) like Yogyakarta regularly provide funding to local and national filmmakers to create films with local stories and languages.

1. Deliciously Terrifying to Marlina 4 Acts

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The presence of local language films in Indonesia deserves a thumbs up, such as TURAH using Javanese, NGERI NGERI SEDAP using Batak language, and CAHAYA TIMUR BETA MALUKU showcasing Maluku culture.

Then, WOMEN FROM ROTE ISLAND brings stories from East Nusa Tenggara, and MARLINA 4 BABAK as well as YOWIS BEN also highlight local wisdom and regional languages respectively.

2. Award-Winning Films

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Many Indonesian films have used regional languages and have been recognized internationally. One of the most talked-about is certainly YUNI by Kamila Andini. This film is not only great in terms of story but also uses Javanese.

YUNI has won many awards, including the Platform Prize at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2021. Then, there is also the film BEFORE, NOW & THEN, which uses a lot of Sundanese language and successfully makes the audience feel closer to the Sundanese atmosphere and culture. In fact, this film premiered at Berlinale, also known as the Berlin International Film Festival, in 2022.

3. Budi Pekerti Film Receives Extraordinary Appreciation

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Another hot topic of discussion is the film BUDI PEKERTI directed by Wregas Bhanuteja. This film not only has a relevant story about social media and ethics but also uses the Javanese language in a very natural way. The setting in Yogyakarta further enhances its local atmosphere.

This film won the Best International Feature Film award at the 2024 Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF), one of the largest film festivals in the United States, attended by over 100,000 viewers and screening 200 films from around the world. In addition to its international achievements, Budi Pekerti also received 17 nominations at the 2023 Indonesian Film Festival (FFI).

PRENJAK is a short film in Javanese by young director Wregas Bhanuteja, which successfully won the prestigious Le Prix Decouverte Leica Cine for best short film at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. This is just a part of it, as there are still many Indonesian films in local languages gaining international recognition.

(kpl/dyn)