The Beetle Soldiers

 

Regent Square Theater: May 15 @ 7:00 PM 

Film Screening Sponsored by UPMC, Dignity  & Respect Campaign of Greater Pittsburgh

Regent Square Theater: May 20 @ 2:00 PM

Passes not accepted on Opening/Closing Night. Please arrive at least 15 minutes ahead of start time to ensure availability of seating. Film schedule and Q & A's are subject to change.

2011/Indonesia/Director: Ari Sihasale/106 min.
Cast: Yudi Miftahudin, Aji Santosa, Fachri Azhari, Monica Sayangbati (Language: Indonesian, subtitles)
Festivals and Awards: Pusan
A powerful and uplifting tale for young and old alike, The Beetle Soldiers, captures a child’s struggle to follow his dreams amidst a world of adversity.
Like many young children, Amek (Yudi Miftahudin) is bullied and struggles at school. After failing the National Exam, his elementary school in the Mantar Village has tightened restrictions and pressures the students to succeed. While Amek is an intelligent boy, who has a skill for math and horseback riding, his cleft-lip makes it difficult for him to fit in. Even harder, lives under the shadow of his bright older sister, who is the math champion of the district.
With the National Exam looming, Amek and his peers hang paper wishes in bottles from a leafless tree called Pohon Cita-cita, or the Wish Tree, on the top of a hill. Although fate of their futures is unsure, the children and teachers continue to hope. Amek begins to realize his abilities at horseback riding and wishes to one day become a competitor in the Skeco Championship, with his pet horse Smodeng.
The cinematography captures the natural beauty of the hilltop village on Sumbawa Island in the province of West Nusa Tenggara, the least developed province in Indonesia. Through this setting, the filmmakers ground the story within real social issues of poverty and inequality facing rural Indonesia.
The acting talent of the young Amek shines through. In a real-life inspiring story, director Ari Sihasale paid for Yudi Miftahudin’s cleft-lip surgery. With its beautiful storytelling and childlike wonder, The Beetles Sodiers will be sure to inspire.