Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemendikbud) of the Republic of Indonesia distributed cinema cars (Mobil Bioskop Keliling – Bioling) to 11 areas in Indonesia. Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) is assigned to manage one of the cars handed over on Friday (30/11). The Bioling is a medium to promote films by UMY members and enhance public appreciation for local films.

A lecturer of Department of Communication Science of UMY Fajar Junaedi, S.IP., M.Si. informed that the Boiling was an answer of a proposal submitted to Center for Film Development of Kemendikbud in September.

“UMY possesses film clubs such as MM Kine Clun and CiKo (Cinema Komunikasi), and offers subject courses dealing with film making. For instance, a subject of Reportase (Regportage), we collaborates with Sekolah Gunng Merapi to produce a film of education, inspiration, and tourism sites in Pangukrejo, Cangkringan,” he mentioned in an interview on Monday (3/12).

The Bioling will equip UMY members for making films. “Film production stages comprise of development, production, distribution, and exhibition. Students have carried out the first two steps well, but they often cope with some barriers in the last two phases. The Bioling can be a medium to distribute and exhibit their films at and outside UMY,” declared Fajar.

He believed that films are essential means of education since audio visual media demand audiences to focus on film contents. “Thus, films should be leveraged effectively to educate community. For example, Department of Medicine has a community service program called Program Belajar Kesehatan Masyarakat (Community Health Learning Program) and films can be a proper medium to explain the program to community. Thus, the Boiling can facilitate the program,” stated Fajar.