The Media and Cultural Studies Program, Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada, held a screening of the short animated film Annah la Javanaise by Fatimah Tobing Rony on Monday, June 16, 2025, at Room 307, Building 1. The event featured Prof. Fatimah Tobing Rony herself, a respected scholar and filmmaker. Annah la Javanaise highlights the story of a Javanese woman who served both as a model and domestic worker for the renowned French painter Paul Gauguin. However, through a critical lens, the film offers a counter-narrative from the perspective of a marginalized subject.
During the smoothly-run discussion session, Bu Fatimah, as she is fondly called, introduced her next project titled Ananda, a full-length 2D animated film that continues Anna’s story after her escape from Gauguin’s studio. She elaborated on the creative process behind the film, which included historical research, strategies for pitching the project to potential investors, defining the target audience, and choosing a visual style that avoids reproducing exoticism.
This event was significant as it opened a space for dialogue on how film—particularly animation—can serve as a powerful medium of cultural critique capable of reaching broad audiences. Bu Fatimah emphasized that academic writing alone is not enough; visual media such as film can be vital tools for articulating collective experiences and histories that have long been denied a voice.
Contributor: Ghera I.
Photos: Adhani J. Emha
SDG 4, SDG 5
