The Land Beneath the Fog

Producer / Director / Cinematographer

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Synopsis

In the rhythm of a slow visual journey The Land Beneath the Fog takes an intimate look at family relations in Genikan - a mountain village on the Merbabu slope (Central Java). A quiet community is facing change without understanding why it happens. As a community of farmers who relies on the traditional Javanese calendar system to read the seasons, they become puzzled by the dramatic change seasons. 

Describing a life on the brink of vanishing, this documentary offers deep insights into ’an invisible and disenfranchised society’ which is struggling hard to maintain its existence.

With support from:

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Goethe-Institut Indonesien

Jakarta Arts Council
Ford Foundation

A Boarding School

Producer, Director, Cinematographer

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Synopsis

“A Boarding School” is an observational documentary that reveals the practice and ideology of Islamic teachings unique to Indonesia through the eyes of two young teachers and two students. 

Bibah is an art teacher, one of the main reasons why students at the school like to take art classes, but she soon has to leave to do her master’s. Dul Yani is a champion of the school’s annual stand-up comedy competition; he has had to repress his sadness and loneliness that come from his mother, a migrant worker in Saudi Arabia, being absent for most of his life. Dika is a senior student, highly regarded by his classmates, who is learning about helping people from an internship program organized by the school. Diding is a progressive young teacher who has taken it upon himself to provoke discussions of controversial topics in Islam with his students.

As we delve deeper into life inside the pesantren, we see that the characters’ particular stories intersect with more universal problems faced by young people today. The pesantren does not isolate them from the outside world. Intimate moments with the charming and talented young teachers and students defy cultural and religious clichés and open up the audience to sympathize and identify with their hopes and predicament. 

In Association With:

With Support From:

Calon Pengantin

Director, Screenplay

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Synopsis

“A Boarding School” is an observational documentary that reveals the practice and ideology of Islamic teachings unique to Indonesia through the eyes of two young teachers and two students. 

Bibah is an art teacher, one of the main reasons why students at the school like to take art classes, but she soon has to leave to do her master’s. Dul Yani is a champion of the school’s annual stand-up comedy competition; he has had to repress his sadness and loneliness that come from his mother, a migrant worker in Saudi Arabia, being absent for most of his life. Dika is a senior student, highly regarded by his classmates, who is learning about helping people from an internship program organized by the school. Diding is a progressive young teacher who has taken it upon himself to provoke discussions of controversial topics in Islam with his students.

As we delve deeper into life inside the pesantren, we see that the characters’ particular stories intersect with more universal problems faced by young people today. The pesantren does not isolate them from the outside world. Intimate moments with the charming and talented young teachers and students defy cultural and religious clichés and open up the audience to sympathize and identify with their hopes and predicament. 

Commission by:

Mango Ukulele

Director, Producer

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Synopsis

Two musicians decide to make their own ukuleles from local mango wood after repeatedly failing to find high-quality and reasonably priced ukuleles. The mango ukuleles became a big hit with the punters both local and overseas. 

Commission by: