*Kala Nanti*
The short film *Kala Nanti* by Praditha Blifa has made a brilliant achievement by winning the Governor of Tokyo Award in the Live-Action Competition Asia International Best Short category at the Shorts Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2024.
This festival, which is accredited by the US Academy Award, is one of Asia’s largest short film festivals.
The winners were announced yesterday, June 17, 2024, and *Kala Nanti* succeeded in eliminating 25 other short films that were nominated.
The victory of *Kala Nanti* cannot be separated from the important role of the jury consisting of Sharon Badal (festival programmer), Hiroshi Fujioka (actor), and Katsuhide Motoki (director).
The three judges agreed to give the highest award to this film, which tells the story of two blind teenage girls.
Praditha Blifa, director of the film *Kala Nanti*.
“I was very happy and touched when I first received news that the film *Kala Nanti* had won an award. I immediately informed the two main actors of this film, Ira and Valen, to congratulate them both. For me, the happiest thing was that this film was awarded,”
“Kala Nanti* will have the opportunity to be watched by more people and spark a lot of discussion about how the living space we live in should be more inclusive and not discriminatory towards friends with disabilities,” she added.
Intan Nadya Maulida, producer of the film *Kala Nanti*, also expressed her surprise and joy when receiving the award. “I never expected to receive this award. It is a great honor for us to receive this award. Thank you, especially to our two actors, Ira and Valen, who have trusted us to share their stories and concerns in this film. This award is for you, Ira and Valen, also to director Praditha Blifa, and the rest of the crew, thank you very much for your hard work. Hopefully, our cinema industry, especially Asian cinema, can be more inclusive in the future,” said Intan.
*Kala Nanti* tells the story of Sri and Yanti, two blind teenage girls who have been close friends since they lived in a dormitory. They are inseparable and always together. One day, Yanti announced her plans to move out of town to pursue her dream of continuing her education at college. This makes Sri angry and continues to question, do they deserve to have dreams?
This film not only touched the hearts of the audience but also opened the eyes of many people about the importance of inclusivity and support for friends with disabilities in pursuing their dreams. It is hoped that the victory of *Kala Nanti* at the Shorts Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2024 will be the first step towards a more inclusive and representative cinema industry in the future.
