UMN Alumni’s Magical Journey Behind the Success of The Movie “Jumbo”

From dreams to the big screen, the work of Universitas Multimedia Nusantara (UMN) alumni continues to color the Indonesian film industry. (Doc. Novia Puspa Sari)

Tangerang, Banten – The work of Universitas Multimedia Nusantara (UMN) alumni continues to color the Indonesian film industry. Novia Puspa Sari is one of the graduates of the UMN Film Study Program class 2014, who is now successfully pursuing a career as a producer at Visinema Studios. Her journey from being a student intern to becoming the driving force behind the scenes of the feature-length animated film “Jumbo” inspires the younger generation who aspire to make achievements in the creative world.

The film “Jumbo”, which is currently gracing the country’s cinema screens, is a true testament to the dedication and collaboration of local talents. In addition, the film, which was produced over five years involving more than 400 animators, is also the highest-grossing Southeast Asian animated film of all time. “Jumbo” has collected a total revenue of more than US$8 million, around Rp128 million (assuming an exchange rate of Rp16,000 per dollar), only from the local box office.

“Jumbo” tells the story of Don, an orphan often bullied because of his large body. Although he is often underestimated, Don does not lose his spirit. He has inherited a fairy tale book full of magical stories from his parents.

From Childhood Fairy Tales to the Giant Big Screen

Novia Puspa Sari, a UMN Film alumni who successfully directed the animated film “Jumbo” production. (Doc. Novia Puspa Sari)

Novia’s interest in the world of movies blossomed as a child, growing out of her love for storybooks and watching the big screen. “Since I was little, I loved reading storybooks and watching movies. My hobby became a dream for me to be a creator in storytelling,” Novia said. The desire to understand the filmmaking process led her to choose the Film major at UMN, a first step that led to a brilliant career.

Novia’s first steps in the film industry began when she interned at Visinema Pictures in her final semester of college in 2018. Her satisfactory performance opened the door for her to become a permanent employee, until she was finally trusted to assume the position of Producer at Visinema Studios in 2020. 

Before focusing on “Jumbo”, Novia was involved in various successful Visinema projects, ranging from Production Assistant in the feature film “Keluarga Cemara” (2018), Co-Producer in the feature film “Love for Sale 2” (2019), Co-Producer in the feature film “Nanti Kita Cerita tentang Hari Ini” (2020), Co-Producer in feature film “Keluarga Cemara 2” (2022), Producer in Disney Hotstar original series “Keluarga Cemara the Series” (2023), Producer in puppet show series ‘DOMIKADO’, and Producer in short animated film “Nussa: You… Antta” (2024).

“Jumbo” is More than Just an Animated Movie

Cooperation and dedication are the keys to the successful production of the animated film “Jumbo”. (Doc. Novia Puspa Sari)

The opportunity to be involved in the ambitious project “Jumbo” came in early 2020, after Novia finished producing the movie “Nanti Kita Cerita tentang Hari Ini.” A long process of approximately five years passed until “Jumbo” finally aired nationwide on March 31, 2025.

“I was given the opportunity by Mas Angga Sasongko and Mbak Anggia Kharisma to be involved in the production process of the film Jumbo from the initial stage of making the script (film script) and was given the trust to become a Producer partner together with Mbak Anggia Kharisma,” Novia explained.

Her educational background at UMN provides a strong foundation for Novia to carry out her producer duties. She revealed that she learned a lot about storytelling and basic film production techniques. In addition to learning about film production, she said one of the courses like “Film Festival Theory & Practice,” also made her active in the UMN Animation & Film Festival (UCIFEST) from 2016 to 2018.

“With this experience, I learned a lot about leadership, working with many people, getting to know the world of film distribution and festivals, and networking with many people,” Novia said.

It took approximately 5 years from the initial stage until the movie “Jumbo” aired and became a success. (Doc. Novia Puspa Sari)

For Novia, “Jumbo” has a very special meaning, especially because the production of the movie “Jumbo” went through a long process. This has been a great experience for Novia in her growth as a producer. She also emphasized that the realization of this film was the result of collective work and loving collaboration from all the creators involved.

“With the dedication and hard work given by all creators, this work is a love letter from Indonesian creators to present a movie that Indonesian children and families can enjoy,” Novia said.

More than that, Novia hopes that “Jumbo” can become an important milestone for the Indonesian animation industry, gain appreciation at the national and international levels, and open more opportunities for local talents.

Novia said that several UMN alumni were also involved in the production process of the movie “Jumbo.” Therefore, she sees the potential of UMN alumni in the film industry as huge, with quality and competitive talents.

To UMN Film students, Novia advised them always to be ready to learn and open themselves to new things. She also emphasized the importance of maximizing college time by actively participating in film-related campus activities, building networks, and watching many films.

“You have to be ready to keep learning, open yourself to discovering new things, keep dreaming, and strive to realize your work wholeheartedly,” Novia said.

Besides being active as a Producer at Visinema, Novia also has other activities that show her dedication to the development of Indonesian cinema. She serves as Community Relations Officer and Short Film Programmer at Boemboe, a non-profit organization that focuses on distributing and promoting Indonesian short films. In addition, she is also a consultant for short film festivals in Indonesia.

Novia Puspa Sari’s journey from college at UMN to becoming the producer behind the successful animated film “Jumbo” reflects passion, hard work, and dedication to realizing dreams. Her experience inspires film students and the younger generation of Indonesia to continue learning, collaborating, and daring to work in this dynamic creative industry. The success of “Jumbo” is expected to trigger the development of Indonesian animation in the future, paving the way for more local talents to shine.

Melinda Chang | UMN News Service

English translation by Levina Chrestella Theodora

Kuliah di Jakarta untuk jurusan program studi Informatika| Sistem Informasi | Teknik Komputer | Teknik Elektro | Teknik Fisika | Akuntansi | Manajemen| Komunikasi Strategis | Jurnalistik | Desain Komunikasi Visual | Film dan Animasi | Arsitektur | D3 Perhotelan , di Universitas Multimedia Nusantara.