Good News, Islamic Boarding School Film Shows In Online Cinemas

The scene of the film Pesantren (Photo: ist)

JAKARTA - The documentary film Pesantren directed by director Shalahuddin Siregar will be broadcast on the online Cinema streaming platform starting May 24, 2023. Islamic boarding school films will invite viewers to follow the lives of students at Pondok Kebon Jambu Al-Islamy Cirebon, one of the traditional Islamic boarding schools led by a tough woman named Nyai Masriyah Amva.

In addition, the film will also open the eyes of the audience that life in Islamic boarding schools is no less colorful than life in ordinary schools. Because, in the pesantren there are also musical arts activities, stand-up comedy competitions, to discussions between teachers and students who are contemporary.

Udin acknowledged the audience's curiosity and prejudice about Islamic boarding schools was the reason he worked on the film.

"I am Muslim, but I have never received education in Islamic boarding schools. My own ignorance and the prejudice of my audience about pesantren sparked my curiosity to find out what real life looks like in pesantren," said the director who is familiarly called Udin.

Udin said he wanted to know how the lives of the students, what they learned in class, and what kind of life the students dreamed of after graduating.

"What I found was surprising and inspiring to me. With this film, I hope this will surprise and inspire others," added Udin.

Meanwhile, President of Digital Business Visinema Ajeng Parameswati said, the film Pesantren will present another side of the daily students.

"This film can bring another perspective on religious life. Therefore, Online Cinema wants to show this film so that the message can reach more people," said Ajeng in a media statement received by VOI, Thursday, May 11.

Previously, the film Pesantren had been selected to air at the 2019 International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), and had attended several other film festivals. The film also performed international screenings at The University of British Columbia in March 2022.