Retracing Our Roots, Beyond Nostalgia

Embarking on a long journey requires us to take a pause to reflect on whether we remain on the right path. Apart from that, such a lengthy and tiring journey often blurs the goals we want to achieve. In a similar vein, the twentieth Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival (JAFF) signals a momentary reflection on our journey so far. Throughout its history, numerous things have shaped the way JAFF is organised, including digital technology disruption, audience profiles and new viewing habits, the diversity and richness of Asian cinematic expression, and, most importantly, the Asian socio-political landscape, which is often coloured by upheavals.

Therefore, as JAFF enters its second decade, the theme ‘Transfiguration’ highlights the continuous transformation of past practices to bring the festival closer to its ideals. This push for a deep reflection and innovation is driven by both external and internal forces. The dynamic of these external forces are essential for the film festival. JAFF seeks to embody its values as a ‘safe, green and inclusive festival’ while becoming a home to a budding JAFF Market, while the more permanent and and continues to adapt its evolving identity.

For twenty years, JAFF has undertaken a lengthy symbolic journey of growth from a seedling into a young tree. Therefore, JAFF would like to invite our audience to retrace its roots during its opening ceremony as it transitions to the next phase. This call to look back at the past serves to underscore how our beginnings have been foundational to our existence today.  Furthermore, through historical memory, the audience is invited to analyse our present and imagine a better future, often by appropriating and reimagining elements from the past for contemporary use.   

Our opening film will be screened in a 35 mm format – a direct reference to how we screened the opening film back in 2006. More broadly, visitors are guided to retrace JAFF’s journey from its humble beginnings as a small Yogyakarta film community before growing its reach throughout Asia. Beyond mere nostalgia, the highlights from our past srtves as crucial turning points to construct a better future. These moments are deeply rooted in our identity as a community-centric festival. This year, we seek to reevaluate nostalgia as a forward-looking and creative force, rather than just a sentimental longing for an irretrievable past.  

Ultimately, the transformation undergone by JAFF is not one taken lightly for its own sake. It represents how the festival has been transfigured by the flourishing Asian cinema, which has to be cultivated and nurtured, akin to a garden in a nursery. As the American author, Kilroy J. Oldster, wrote, “Transfiguration of the self is painful since it represents sprouting downy wings that give flight to a battered soul.”  Perhaps, through this very process, JAFF finds the strength to transcend to become a better, more meaningful, and more impactful festival.