Baubau Filmmaker Wins National Islamic Film Awards
Some wins feel bigger than trophies. This one did. A young filmmaker from Baubau, Andhy Loppes Eba, watched two of his films climb the podium in Jakarta - proof that stories rooted in local life can hit nationally, and hit hard.
On stage at the HM Rasjidi Auditorium, Indonesia's Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar didn't hide his admiration. He praised the fresh, thoughtful work coming out of the 2025 National Islamic Film Competition (KFI), calling on young filmmakers to keep going and, yes, to work with industry players so these ideas can become full productions.
The competition - run by the Directorate of Islamic Religious Information under the Directorate General of Islamic Community Guidance - pulled in 83 submissions from 34 provinces. The theme was "The Wonder of Harmony: Weaving the Light of Islam - Diversity, Love, and Hope." That's a mouthful, but the point was clear: stories about faith and community that feel lived-in, not preachy. More details on the ministry's programs are available on the Ministry of Religious Affairs site.
The minister also made a simple ask: use tech wisely. Fill feeds with work that matters. And don't lose the core message. He referenced Surah An-Naba, verse 29 - that every deed is recorded - and reminded the room that art has long supported Islamic outreach. He even quoted Al-Ghazali: if a person has no art in them, they're like barren land.
Then came the Baubau moment. Andhy's fiction short "Cahaya Untuk Nur" (Light for Nur) took first place in the Fiction category. His documentary "Pekandeana Ana-Ana Maelu" (The Tradition of Caring for Orphans) landed second in Documentary. He took home plaques and prize money - IDR 13 million and IDR 10 million - but the bigger prize is visibility.
Andhy kept it grounded in his remarks, thanking his crew and the people (movies and tv series) who opened their lives for the documentary - Mr. La Ode Kariu and La Ode Abdul Munafi. You could feel the gratitude. And the pride.
Both films carry a strong sense of place. "Pekandeana Ana-Ana Maelu" explores a Butonese tradition of supporting orphans - the kind of community practice that rarely gets screen time but quietly holds people together. "Cahaya Untuk Nur" follows a teenager wrestling with grief after his father's death. No big speeches. Just loss, love, and the slow work of healing.
If you've been tracking Southeast Sulawesi's scene, you've seen this rise coming. "Pekandeana Ana-Ana Maelu" won the 2023 Southeast Sulawesi Islamic Short Film Competition, and "Cahaya Untuk Nur" won the 2024 Southeast Sulawesi Islamic Film Competition. This week's national wins just pushed that momentum into the spotlight.
What does this mean for film folks? Programmers and streamers looking for fresh faith-centered storytelling should pay attention to KFI alumni. There's an audience for sincere, community-rooted stories - especially shorts that can travel online and spark conversations without big budgets.
Winners of the 2025 National Islamic Film Competition
Documentary Film Category
- 1st Place: "Braen" - Central Java Province
- 2nd Place: "Pekandeana Ana-Ana Maelu" - Southeast Sulawesi Province
- 3rd Place: "Kita Sadela" - Lampung Province
- 1st Runner-up: "Belangikhan" - Lampung Province
Fiction Film Category
- 1st Place: "Cahaya Untuk Nur" (Light for Nur) - Southeast Sulawesi Province
- 2nd Place: "Cahaya Ilmu" (Light of Knowledge) - North Sumatra Province
Animation Film Category
- "Cahaya Ilahi" (Divine Light) - East Java Province
Winners received plaques, cash prizes, and certificates. More importantly, they got a platform - and, if we're honest, a nudge for producers and festivals to start calling. Here's what this could mean: more collaborations between regional crews and national backers, and a stronger pipeline for shorts to find wider distribution. It's a good sign. Let's see who picks up the phone first.
