Lalu Muhammad Lutfi Maududy, a student of the International Program Communication (IPC) at the Universitas Islam Indonesia, screened his final project film at the Festival Film Sangkareang at Local Cinema Mataram from 12 to 14 December 2025.
Through a long production process, the student, who was supervised by Dr. Zaki Habibi, M.Comms., registered his work for the festival. His film, entitled “Iron Bang of Culture”, was selected and screened at the Local Cinema Mataram. Festival Film Sangkareang is a space for young filmmakers in West Nusa Tenggara, and Dudy was eager to register so he wouldn’t miss out on the opportunity to continue improving his skills.
“Of course, it’s really exciting when our film is screened on the big screen, and we get to meet the audience. Especially since the film I made is about the culture of Lombok Island. Seeing the audience relate to the issues I raised made me even more enthusiastic,” said Dudy.
“Iron Bang of Culture” is a documentary that explores the culture of Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. This idea did not come about by chance. As a student from the region, Dudy was aware that there was a culture shift, but he did not know what had changed. Through his documentary film, Dudy conducted research, observations, and direct interviews.
“Iron Bang of Culture” explains the game of gasing in Lombok, a traditional game played by the Sasak tribe. It has been played for generations as a means of entertainment, socialising, and even competition.
“The issue I most want to highlight is the cultural change in the digital era. Before the advent of social media and massive games like today, many people still played traditional spinning tops, but now it is increasingly rare to find them, especially since most of the players are elderly and it is very rare for children to play them,” he explained.
During the research process, Dudy said he spent three consecutive days travelling around Lombok. He searched for locations where traditional games are still played. He wanted to obtain detailed results through field observations.
“This spinning top game is no longer like it used to be, where you could find it on the side of the road,” he said.
For him, the production did not go as smoothly as initially expected. The challenges during the production process were quite a hindrance. For him, the research was too short, so a lot of new information was only obtained during the editing process. Nevertheless, qualifying for the Sangkareang Film Festival was a relief, as his work was enjoyed by a wide audience.
“From this final project, I feel that there are many things around us that can be raised as issues to be turned into visual works. My next plan is to make another film, because after making one film, I feel curious to make another,” he said.
At the Department of Communications Science, UII, various pathways are available to obtain a bachelor’s degree, including creative avenues such as film production, as pursued by Dudy. Through film, Dudy presents data through audio-visual means.
