FTV UPI Student Documentary Earns High Recognition at Sinema Akhir Tahun 2025
Figure: Poster and Brief Synopsis (Source: Fpsd Press)
Bandung, 13 November 2025 - Students of the Film and Television Study Program (FTV), Faculty of Arts and Design Education (FPSD), Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI), have once again achieved a remarkable milestone at the national level. One of their documentary films has successfully been selected as part of the Official Selection at the 10th Sinema Akhir Tahun (SAT) hosted by the Indonesian Institute of the Arts (ISI) Surakarta. The achievement is particularly notable as it stands as the only documentary film accepted into the official lineup this year.
Sinema Akhir Tahun 2025 is held from 12–14 November 2025 in Surakarta, Central Java. Since its inception in 2015, the festival has grown from an internal appreciation platform for ISI Surakarta students into a national space that showcases films created by university students, high school students, community filmmakers, and independent creators from across Indonesia.
A Decade of SAT: A Space to Rise and Move Forward
Marking its 10th edition, SAT adopts the theme “Gumregah”, a Javanese word meaning to rise or to move again. The theme reflects the collective momentum needed to respond to the social and cultural challenges of the year. Through a creative Zombie Apocalypse visual concept, the festival organizers highlight a metaphor of continued resistance: change cannot be achieved individually but requires collective effort that persists despite obstacles. Beyond film screenings, SAT also features discussions, pre-events, and creative encounters strengthening its role as one of the most consistent student film festivals in Indonesia.
“Hak, Tak Berpihak”: A UPI Documentary that Captivated Curators
The selected documentary, titled “Hak, Tak Berpihak” (“Rights, Without Favor”), produced by FTV UPI students, draws critical attention for its bold storytelling and strong social relevance. The film explores the ongoing struggle of residents of Kampung Bayam in North Jakarta. Three years after the inauguration of the Jakarta International Stadium (JIS), residents have yet to be granted access to the Kampung Susun Bayam (KSB) housing that was promised to them. Licensing issues and unaffordable rental rates have prolonged their displacement, despite earlier commitments made under previous city leadership.
Combining archival footage shot by the residents, direct documentation, interviews with representatives of PT JakPro, and even a hidden recording, the documentary constructs a nuanced narrative about promises unfulfilled, bureaucratic complications, and the erosion of community identity amid urban development.
Curator’s Note: A Documentary Built on Rare Access and Strong Material
According to festival curators, the film’s strength lies in its extensive archival material and multi-perspective access to sources involved in the conflict. Its balance of visual evidence and narrative neutrality opens space for audience interpretation, preventing the film from falling into the traps of propaganda or exploitative representation.
The curators highlight that the documentary raises essential questions about advocacy, positionality, and the filmmaker’s responsibility. The film gradually shifts its focus from political praise in its early sequences to a more complex depiction of commercial interests allegedly undermining residents’ rights. This structural transition becomes one of the film’s most intriguing aspects.
Furthermore, the documentary emphasizes that a home is not merely a physical structure but a space tied to social identity, belonging, and collective memory. Kampung Bayam emerges as a symbol of how vulnerable communities can lose their place within the narrative of urban “progress” a progress that is often inaccessible to those unable to afford the cost of belonging.
UPI Applauds Student Achievement and Encourages Continued Innovation
This achievement demonstrates the growing strength of FTV UPI students in producing socially conscious, research-driven audiovisual works. In recent years, student films from UPI have gained increasing recognition at national festivals and institutional programs, reflecting the program’s commitment to nurturing young filmmakers who are technically capable and socially aware.
The leadership of FTV UPI expressed appreciation for the students’ accomplishment, emphasizing that such achievements reinforce the campus environment as a space for creative and critical development. It is hoped that this success will inspire more students to explore film as a medium for reflection, advocacy, and cultural preservation.
Through this milestone, UPI reaffirms its dedication to cultivating future filmmakers who contribute meaningfully to Indonesia’s social discourse.
Kontributor FPSD PRESS: Marsel Ridky Maulana
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