Short Film Makes a Big Splash1 min read
Reading Time: < 1 minuteIndonesian cinema just made a big impression on the international stage. At the Asian Short Film Awards on Sunday’s opening night of the ScreenSingapore festival, Indonesian filmmakers Andri Cung and Edward Gunawan took home the top prize for their film, “Payung Merah” (“Red Umbrella”).
A panel of judges, led by three-time Academy Award-winning director Oliver Stone, selected Andri and Edward’s entry as Best Asian Short Film, earning the pair a cash prize of 20,000 Singapore dollars ($16,000).
In nine and a half minutes, “Payung Merah” follows the late-night journey of a taxi driver who picks up a mysterious girl on a quiet backstreet in Jakarta. Through this simple setup, the audience learns about the deep sense of loss and longing the girl has for her father.
The film – which features a supernatural twist toward the end – beat out dozens of shorts from other countries to take the top prize.
