Soft Drizzles Blend with the Audience’s Excitement at the Opening Night of JAFF 19

The 19th Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival (JAFF), Indonesia’s most significant and longest-running international film festival, officially kicked off on Saturday, 30 November 2024, at 7:00 PM at Empire XXI in Yogyakarta. Themed “Metanoia,” the festival was symbolically inaugurated by Garin Nugroho through a traditional tumpeng-cutting ceremony, accompanied by a lively traditional bregada parade. Despite a drizzle, the guests’ spirits remained high as they revelled in the opening festivities.

In his opening remarks, the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, Dr. H. Fadli Zon, S.S., M.Sc., strongly supported JAFF, emphasising its role as a vital intersection of art, culture, and the creative industry. He highlighted how the festival reinforces the prominence of Asian cinema on the global stage. Fadli Zon noted that JAFF not only showcases the best of Indonesian cinema but also reveals the potential of the nation’s filmmakers. Through competitive entries, these filmmakers continue to demonstrate their ability to compete internationally, solidifying Indonesia’s status as a creative hub in Asia.

The excitement among the audience surged with a vibrant performance by the renowned Indonesian band “Lomba Sihir,” setting a joyful mood for the ceremony. This was followed by Garin Nugroho’s ceremonial cutting of the tumpeng, presented to Minister Fadli Zon and Kim Dong-Ho, the founder of Busan International Film Festival. The ceremony also included the presentation of honorary awards to notable figures such as Hendrick Gozali, a prominent Indonesian producer, Aruna Vasudev, founder of NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema), and Kim Dong-Ho. The evening concluded with the premiere of Samsara, a silent black-and-white film directed by Garin Nugroho. The film effectively set a meaningful tone for the festival’s 19th edition.