Documentary Film Production in Indonesia – SDG Film Festival

Students from the Leicester Media School studying BSc Media Production, BSc Visual Effects and MA International Film Production are encouraged to apply for this opportunity. Relevant blocks/modules include:

• Media Production: Creative Image Production, Short Film Production, Film and Photography Techniques, and Post-Production and Editing.
• Visual Effects: Film and Photography Techniques, Creative Enterprise, Short Film Production, and Post-production and Editing.
• International Film Production: Key Roles in the Film Industry, Realisation, Pre-Production and Production.

Students will need to articulate in their proposals, how the culmination of their programme/skills will be enhanced by this opportunity, and how the experience will prepare them for careers in a competitive international market.

There is a maximum of 20 places available, with a minimum of 15 participants required for this opportunity to take place. Students are recommended to check the eligibility criteria before applying.

The trip is part of the SDG Film Festival held in Indonesia. This is a project developed by DMU and London Insitute of Communications and Business (previously known as LSPR) in Jakarta, Indonesia. Additional partners in the festival include APU Malaysia, The Phoenix Cinema, AUPP in Cambodia, the Documentary Media Centre, the Media Discourse Centre, and the Coventry University Group.

Now into its fifth year #SDGFilmfest is continuing its outreach programme to explore sustainability issues in Developing or Assisted Countries. Last year, the project was hosted online by the LSPR in Jakarta, who will be delivering the festival again for 2023, building on the international relationship DMU has with this influential provider.

The chosen destination of Jakarta is an important one; as it forms a cultural, architectural, religious, commercial and political hub. More so as one as Indonesia’s main centres for media, there are suitable guest speakers for the conference and film festival to be found, thus providing good links with industry and networking opportunities.

As with previous years the festival will be launched with a day-long filmmaking workshop, featuring colleagues from DMU, LSPR, and industry. The second day of the visit will represent the project’s proposed fourth international conference on SDGs and the media, and is likely to host guest speakers from the British Council, World Wildlife Federations, and National Geographic, plus academic contributions from both institutions and their students. The film festival itself will later be hosted at LSPR’s Bekasi campus, which is a bespoke media centre designed for the delivery of such events.

Learning Objectives

Participating in a DMU Global opportunity can help you develop knowledge, skills and competencies that enhance your studies. The objectives of this trip to Jakarta are:

There will be a number of preparatory activities before the trip which include screenings of previous years SDG Film Festival winning entries, an online lecture from an Indonesian filmmaker and a workshop on potential documentary themes. Post-trip there will be a screening of DMU students entries to the festival, and discussions on how the lessons learned from Indonesian film making can be implemented by students in the UK to impact on local, regional and national SDG issues.

Cultural Activities

During the trip, there will be opportunities for participants to experience Indonesian culture through a variety of engagements and visits. Recommended cultural visits include the National Gallery which hosts an 1,700 impressive artworks from different eras and the National Museum that was established to house more than 142,000 collections that tell stories about the nation in every aspect of history.

There’s also an assortment of mosques, churches, and temples all over the capital including the iconic Istiqlal Mosque which sits just across from the neo-gothic cathedral, with another colonial church is just around the corner. Various temples with beautiful oriental buildings can be found around Chinatown.

Once one of the most prominent neighbourhoods during colonial era, Jakarta’s Kota Tua (Old Town) is a slice of history. The area is packed with old government buildings and trade centres kept alive as museums and heritage sites. From riding a colourful bicycle through Fatahillah Square to taking pictures inside the quirky Rumah Akar, you can conveniently explore the Old Town’s highlights just by strolling around the area.

Travel to Indonesia is permitted according to the travel rules for England as listed on UK Government website. Further guidance can be found on the FCDO webpage for Indonesia.

All students that are offered a place on this DMU Global opportunity will receive further COVID-19 advice and guidance by email and in pre-departure briefing sessions. More details and COVID-19 Travel Information can be found here.