The Song of Grassroots is a documentary film that won the Citra Award for Best Documentary feature in Indonesian Film Festival 2018. This documentary was made for four years from 2014 until 2018, that follow Fajar Merah (21) is the son of Wiji Thukul – a poets and human rights activist who was 'made to disappeared' in 1998 by The Soeharto Regime. Together with 'Merah Bercerita', a band established at 2010, and supported by his family, he tries to bring back his father's poems to life, covers them with music notations and creates a music album. In a dynamic background of 2014 Indonesian Presidential Election, 16 years after the 1998 tragedy, Fajar and family develops a new hope on one candidate; Joko Widodo, to solve some Human Rights Violation cases, to find Wiji Thukul and other victims.
Presented by : Rekam Films in Co-production with Super 8mm Studio and Katahati Audiopost
Producer : Yuda Kurniawan
Director : Yuda Kurniawan
FILM FESTIVAL AND AWARDS
1. Winner CITRA Award. Best Documentary Feature. Indonesian Film Festival 2018
2. Winner NETPAC Award. Jogja Netpac Asian Film Festival 2018.
3. Winner MAYA Award. Best Documentary Feature. Indonesia Maya Award 2019.
4. Winner Honorable Mention Award. Figueira Da Foz Int’l Film Festival, Portugal, 2019
5. Competition. Busan International Film Festival 2018.
6. Official Selection. Yogyakarta Documentary Film Festival 2018.
7. Official Selection. Malang Film Festival 2019.
8. Competition. Diorama International Film Festival, New Delhi, India, 2019
9. Competition. Kazan International Muslim Film Festival, Kazan, Russia, 2019
10. Competition. Int’l Festival of Docufilms on Liberations and Human Rights, Dhaka, 2019.
11. Official Selection. Jecheon International Music & Film Festival, South Korea, 2019.
12. Competition. World Cinema Amsterdam 2019.
13. Official Selection. 100% Human Film Festival 2019.
14. Competition. Balinale International Film Festival 2019.
15. Competition. Asian Film Festival Barcelona, Spain 2019.
16. Competition. Asia Pacific Screen Awards, Brisbane, Australia, 2019.
17. Official Selection. Cinecussions Film Festival, Bandung, 2019.
18. Official Selection. London Mini Indonesian Film Festival, UK, 2020
19. Official Selection. Indofilmcafe. Luxnijmegen, Netherlands, 2020
20. Official Selection. New Narrative Film Festival, Taipei, Taiwan, 2020.
NEWS AND REVIEWS:
01. Majalah.tempo.co - Fajar Merah Bercerita.
02. Majalah.tempo.co - Fajar Merah Tentang Album Baru Grup Musiknya Dan Sosok Wiji Thukul.
03. Tempo.co - Film Nyanyian Akar Rumput Bisa Ditonton Mulai Kamis Besok.
04. Tempo.co - Harapan Sutradara Film Nyanyian Akar Rumput Jokowi Nonton.
05. Tempo.co - Anak Wiji Thukul Ingatkan Janji Jokowi Untuk Mencari Ayahnya
06. Koran.tempo.co - Nyanyian Penolak Lupa.
07. Koran.tempo.co - Kita Hidup Di Negara Yang Belum Beres.
08. Kompas.com - "Nyanyian Akar Rumput", Sukses Raih Piala Citra, Diapresiasi Di Korea.
09. Kompas.com - Saat Wiji Thukul "Kembali" Melantunkan Puisinya Di Solo.
10. Kompas.com - Putri Wiji Thukul Kini Tak Mau Lagi Menyimpan Ekspektasi.
11. Kompas.com - Dokumenter Peraih Piala Citra, Bermula Dari Musik Hingga Bersinggungan Dengan Politik.
12. Kompas.id - Film Pengingat Kasus 1998 Akan Tayang Di Bioskop.
13. Warningmagz.com - Yuda Kurniawan Asa Menolak Lupa Dalam Tuturan Sinema Sederhana.
14. Sindie.sg - Stop10 Nyanyian Akar Rumput Songs Of Grassroots.
16. Thejakartapost.com - Nyanyian Akar Rumput Released In Theaters Thursday.
18. Tribunnews.com - Sosok Fajar Merah Anak Widji Thukul Di Mata Produser Nyanyian Akar Rumput.
20. Tribunnews.com - Menghidupkan Kembali Karya Wiji Thukul Dalam Film Nyanyian Akar Rumput.
21. Historia.id - Hanyut Dalam Nyanyian Akar Rumput.
22. Historia.id - Mengintip Belakang Layar Nyanyian Akar Rumput.
23. Infoscreening.co - Film Nyanyian Akar Rumput: Monumen Ingatan Ham Di Tahun Politik.
24. Detik.com - Ikohi Ajak Jokowi Nonton Film Nyanyian Akar Rumput.
25. Kumparan.com - Film Nyanyian Akar Rumput Mengingat Wiji Thukul Tagih Janji Jokowi.
26. Kumparan.com - Nyanyian Akar Rumput Widji Thukul Dan Warisan Yang Ia Tinggalkan.
27. Gatra.com - Film Nyanyian Akar Rumput Ingatkan Ham Berat Wiji Thukul.
28. Kbr.Id - Film Nyanyian Akar Rumput Lekatkan Widji Thukul Ke Generasi Milenial.
29. Mediaindonesia.com - Luka Bangsa Dalam Nyanyian Fajar.
30. Antaranews.com - Ratusan Buruh Tonton Film Tentang Wiji Thukul.