Put Down Your Phone and Tune Into the Buzz of Malioboro Night
- Arina Chuuriyyah Herawati
- Ailsa Luthfia Indrasari Laksana Putri
Malioboro, May 23 2026 — As the conversation around social media often goes, it cuts both ways, bringing both benefits and drawbacks into our daily lives. This alone tells us that social media cannot be viewed in black and white, because its positive and negative influences exist side by side. Yet over time, the negative effects seem to have seeped deeper into nearly every corner of life, hardening our perspectives and leaving little room for nuance. It is precisely this complexity that Sewon Screening sought to address through Layar Lanskap, its second edition held under the overarching theme “Bertaut pada Riuh” (Connecting Amid the Noise), a reminder that everything surrounding social media is far more layered than it appears.
That complexity found vivid expression in films screened at Layar Lanskap. Going beyond a simple good-versus-bad take on the internet and social media, Sewon Screening presented six films spanning a wide range of issues: interpersonal relationships in Gombal, mental health in Anxietus Domicupus, economic and family dynamics in Screentime, social tensions in Trashtalk and Palsubuuk!, and political commentary in Bersama Membangun Negeri. This diversity of themes enriched the viewing experience while staying rooted in the same throughline: social media.
The breadth of stories, all threaded together by social media as a common subject, kept the audience thoroughly engaged, laughed and applause rang out across the venue throughout the night. And it wasn’t only registered attendees who were drawn in. Curious onlookers wandered over from all corners: nearby vendors, shoppers browsing clothing stalls, even passersby who stopped at the fountain just to see what was happening. This was exactly the spirit Sewon Screening had envisioned, reaching new audiences by bringing film screenings to some of Yogyakarta’s most bustling public spaces. Layar Lanskap took place at Teras Malioboro 2, offering visitors a rare moment of pause amid the noise of the digital age.
“We’re trying to reach new audiences, and one of our key targets is the general public. We saw Teras Malioboro as the heart of Yogyakarta, which is exactly why we chose this location.” said Virgi, the event’s Program Director, when asked about the reasoning behind the venue selection.
Beyond audience outreach, the choice of Teras Maliobor 2 also carried a deeper almost philosophical resonance. Watching films about the virtual world in the middle of one of the city’s liveliest spots became an unexpectedly meaningful experience. That evening, under the open sky of Malioboro, the event delivered a quiet but powerful reminder: in a world increasingly consumed by virtual connection, it’s worth stepping back every now and then, especially when everyone around you seems lost in the noise. A reminder, too, that the internet and social media cannt be reduced to a fixed, rigid narrative about their impact on our lives.
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