Private Project

Diminuendo

Ruth, a 25-year-old, has put her life on hold to care for her mother, Cassandra, who is battling dementia. Once a celebrated pianist, Cassandra was the person who taught Ruth to play. Ruth now finds herself on the opposite side of the piano bench, patiently reteaching her mother to play in the hopes of rekindling her fading memories.

  • Ephraim Ryan Pranata
    Director
    Where We Left Off
  • Aurellia Michelle Nugroho
    Director
    The Diverge
  • Ephraim Ryan Pranata
    Writer
    Where We Left Off
  • Aurellia Michelle Nugroho
    Writer
    The Diverge
  • Ephraim Ryan Pranata
    Producer
    Where We Left Off
  • Aurellia Michelle Nugroho
    Producer
    The Diverge
  • Irene Jessica
    Key Cast
    "Ruth"
  • Judyana
    Key Cast
    "Cassandra"
  • Kayla Sedjaja
    Key Cast
    "Young Ruth"
  • Enrichie Gracia
    Director of Photography
  • Pradipta Bagastama
    Assistant Director
  • Alifian Al Ghifari
    Gaffer
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Drama, Family
  • Runtime:
    15 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    November 20, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    1,100 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States, Indonesia, United States
  • Country of Filming:
    Indonesia
  • Language:
    Indonesian
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - DePaul University
Director Biography - Ephraim Ryan Pranata, Aurellia Michelle Nugroho

Ephraim Ryan Pranata is a Jakarta-based film and video director with a background in directing award-winning fiction films and video content for various companies and organizations.

Aurellia Michelle Nugroho is a Chicago-based film director and a first-year Film and Television student at DePaul University.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

In the final years of his life, my grandfather lived with late-stage dementia. My family and I watched as the disease slowly erroded any sense of personality he once had, turning him from a warm, lively man who I would often play games and sing songs with, into a distant, often unresponsive, figure who barely remembered that he already ate breakfast three minutes ago—twice. In conversations, we all noticed that he had lost the light in his eyes that told us he was there. For 11-year-old me, it was the most heartbreaking thing ever.

This experience stayed with me, shaping how I understood memory, identity, and the fragility of human connection. When I set out to produce Diminuendo, I knew I wanted to tell a story that captured the emotional reality of watching someone you love fade away, while also celebrating the quiet, enduring ways we fight to hold on. This film is my way of saying that even when words fail, and memories fade, the bonds we share can endure in the music of our hearts.

— Ephraim Ryan Pranata

Diminuendo was written and produced shortly before I left home in Indonesia to start college abroad. In many ways, Ruth and Cassandra’s story is my way of processing the emotions I had at the time. The anxieties that come with stepping into a new phase of life, the fear of saying goodbye to the place and people I love, but also the enduring bonds that prevail, regardless of distance and time.

This film also means a lot to me because of how it was made. I worked with a group of amazing high school and college students from Indonesia—young, passionate people who poured their hearts into this project. We didn’t have the biggest budget or the fanciest equipment, but we had creativity, dedication, and collective faith in this meaningful story. Every challenge we faced, we solved together, and I’ll always cherish that collaborative spirit.

— Aurellia Michelle Nugroho