Three UMM Students Graduated without Thesis Completion Due to Winning an International Film Award

Author : Humas | Saturday, August 19, 2023 04:45 WIB

Communication Science Study Program Students of University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM) (Photo: Special)

University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM) continues to create a generation of excellence and achievement. Latest, a short film made by three students of the Communication Sciences study program entitled "Tidak Mati, Aku Tetap Menjadi Milikku Selalu" (trans: Not Dead, I Remain Mine Always) won an Honorable Mention award at the 2023 Student World Impact Film Festival (SWIFF), USA. The film festival, attended by 120 countries, happened online last month. Interestingly, three of them completed their study and graduated without a thesis.

Chu Livia Christine Wijaya, one of the students, said that this film also qualified in the Lift-Off Filmmaker Sessions by Lift-Off Global Network 2023. Interestingly, the movie that was translated into English becomes, "Not Dead, I Remain Mine Always," makes Chuli and her two partners, Muhammad Ammar Nashshar Yusuf as the director of photography and Kiki Rahma Ardiansyah as the director, graduated from Communication Science UMM through non-thesis and achievement tracks.

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"Happy and grateful indeed. Through this award, our film is appreciated and recognized by the world. This is also proof that UMM students can achieve at the international level. UMM also really appreciates this achievement by providing graduation through non-thesis pathways, "said Chuli, her nickname.

Moreover, Chuli explained that the film's synopsis is about a young girl named Sukma (14 years old) who her parents matched with a rich man from the city. A week before her marriage, Sukma is trying to find a way to avoid this unwanted marriage. It is like whether she is waiting for her death or trying to escape from it.

"in my opinion, as a girl who have the chance to go to school and get higher education, this film have a strong message in early marriage case in Indonesia. For some people, early marriage can be a solution for a problem, especially in economy aspects. However, it has a negative impact for the chidlren who was forced to have early marriage. Both physically and mentally," she explained.

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Chuli also conveyed that this film's production was undertaken over four days in Malang City, Batu City, Pujon Kidul, and South Malang Beach. However, the preparation from the script's writing until the final draft, reading, and searching for talents in pre-production took a month. Plus, post-production takes about 4-5 months.

"Me and my two partners, also often produces movies with other friends from "Meraki Visual". Alhamdulillah, the film that we produce before also received many awards. For example, 'Bumi' have achieved the Best Director, Actor dan Views in the Indodax Short Film Festival, 'Persembahan Untuk Jiwa' won third place in the Movie Production Club (MPC) Film Festival 2021 competition, 'Rekah' which won first place in the Yamaha Film Festival 2021 competition, and 'Samparan' made it to the top 15 of the Indodax Short Film Festival 2022," explained Chuli

She hopes that "Tidak Mati, Aku Tetap Menjadi Milikku Selalu' can give a positive message to their viewers. She also expected that this film could achieve another award. "My message to my friends who are still hesitant to produce something is you need to try it first. Just try and start it first. We will never know what will happen to the future,' she concluded. (Put/Zak/Wil)

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