SPECIAL SOCIETY IN THE YOGYAKARTA PANIRADYA KAISTIMEWAN'S SHORT FILMS

Abstract

Established in 2018, the Paniradya Kaistimewan has sponsored various local short film productions and collected films produced by government offices in previous years which were funded through Yogyakarta Uniqueness Funds. Even though these films tend to campaign for the uniqueness of the society of Yogyakarta, there are dynamics and anxieties that are inserted, intentionally or not, by the filmmakers regarding actual problems such as economics, politics, and identity. Paniradya Kaistimewan seems to use films as a means of public pedagogy which makes pedagogy more political and politics more pedagogic. These films show "formal" aims by the common concept of Yogyakarta's uniqueness; but on the other hand, they question what kind of humanity is being formed in the society. This article attempts to explain it in the context of post-humanism while looking at its relationship with objects that challenge "uniqueness" humanity, and exploring the strategies offered by filmmakers. The method used is a semiotic content analysis. The result is that the human features of Yogyakarta society are still closely linked to local norms and traditions, while technology and modernity are viewed pejoratively. Exoticism seems to be the justification for this choice.