School festival shows nine short films

JAKARTA: About 400 were packed into a black box theater at the High/Scope school in South Jakarta on Saturday, to attend the screening of nine short films by junior high students from various schools in Jakarta.

Among the audience were a judging panel comprising, among others, writer Raditya Dika, actor Dimas Seto, actress Nadila Ernesta and director Oddy C. Harahap.

Before the screening the production teams joined a workshop from Nov. 17 to 18, where director Nia Dinata and High/Scope film and theater teacher Ekky Imanjaya and Nossa Normanda shared their knowledge on audio visual production.

"Film is not only recording pictures and sounds, but also about sharpening your sensitivity towards what happens around you. Like what your seniors at High/Scope high school did with their documentary about people living with HIV/AIDS, which won the Body Shop film competition," Nia said.

The nine short films screened on Saturday conveyed various themes, from school life like in Ain't No Bully by Al-Izhar School and MOS by SMP Pembangunan Jaya to moral messages about honesty like in Ingkar by SMP Islam Dian Didaktika.

Stories revolving around coming of age are palpable in six other films: Racing in My Soul by the homeschool Kak Seto, Kamilia by High/Scope, Oh! by Lab School Kebayoran, Nak Se Elang by Islamic International Secondary School, Run! By SMPN 68 and Flying Fox by SMP Global Mandiri. - JP