Two Decades of JAFF Celebration Have Officially Begun
Through Its Archive Manifesto, JAFF Calls for a National Strategy for Film Archiving

The 20th Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival (JAFF) officially opened on Saturday, 29 November 2025 at the Gelanggang Inovasi dan Kreativitas (GIK) UGM in Yogyakarta. Marking its twentieth anniversary, this year’s JAFF carries the theme “TRANSFIGURATION,” highlighting the crucial transformation of a film festival that has endured for two decades, a substantial period that calls for deep reflection, weighing both its achievements and its still-unrealized aspirations. The opening ceremony was attended by hundreds of invited guests and enthusiastic audiences eager to welcome the most anticipated international film festival.

The excitement filled the venue as loyal visitors and first-timers alike gathered, including Killa, who admitted she was so eager to experience JAFF’s 20th edition that she “bought tickets to all the films.” The celebration was also embraced by filmmakers, such as actor Arswendy Bening Swara who described JAFF as “truly festive and spectacular!” Meanwhile, actor and director Reza Rahadian, who just won Citra Award for Best Film at Indonesian Film Festival for his directorial debut Pangku (On Your Lap), joined the festival through the special program Reza Rahadian: 20 Years Reflection. “JAFF is a place for us to gather and discuss the future of Indonesian and Asian cinema,” Reza said during the Opening Night.

The opening night featured several key moments attended by important figures from the government and the Indonesian and Asian film industries. The ceremony began with a showcase of excerpts from six films screened throughout JAFF’s twenty-year history, accompanied by majestic live performances of their soundtracks by the Gadjah Mada Chamber Orchestra and the UGM Choir. The selection included The Handmaiden from JAFF19, Mukhsin from JAFF2, In the Mood for Love from JAFF17, Kantata Takwa from JAFF3, Asrama Dara from JAFF20, and My Neighbor Totoro from JAFF12.

The program continued with remarks from Festival Founder Garin Nugroho, who emphasized that the opening of JAFF20 was a moment of collective gratitude shared by everyone who has supported the festival throughout the past two decades, helping it become one of the largest film festivals in Asia and contributing to shaping Yogyakarta as a city of cinema. Through the theme “TRANSFIGURATION,” he highlighted how JAFF creates space for dialogue and collaboration across Asian cinema, from knowledge exchange to funding opportunities.

Festival Director Ifa Isfansyah followed with a keynote titled “Film Archive Manifesto at the Opening of JAFF20.” The manifesto voiced a shared concern over the lack of awareness surrounding film archiving. It emphasized that the memory of cinema is a cultural foundation that becomes fragile when not cared for. JAFF asserts that the current achievements of the film industry will hold little meaning for future generations if existing works are not safeguarded. Film, he stressed, is a cultural artifact carrying the voices, languages, perspectives, and hopes of a generation, it is rich in meaning yet materially fragile.

“At JAFF, we are committed to become part of the ongoing archival efforts. However, we recognize that it can be futile without concrete regulations, leadership, and the political will of policymakers with tangible decision-making power. Indeed, a nation with no film archive to speak of is one that does not believe in its future generations; enough that they refuse to mould its next generation with a collective memory,” Ifa declared in closing.

In the next speech, Indonesia’s Minister of Culture, Dr. H. Fadli Zon, S.S., M.Sc., responded to the Manifesto by affirming that the issue of film archiving raised by JAFF aligns with the Ministry’s agenda. He called for joint efforts to carry out what had been articulated, emphasizing that film archives are an extraordinary and essential cultural heritage. He also underlined the need for a more representative film museum, including a more proper facilities for storage and public access.

This 20th edition of JAFF felt even more special with the screening of the “JAFF 20 Years Video” by Indra Sukmana & Wahyu Agung, revealing the festival’s journey and perseverance since its founding in 2006, how it is surviving crisis after crisis to continue illuminating Asian cinema. As a tribute to JAFF’s beginnings, Garin Nugroho’s Opera Jawa was shown once again in its original 35mm celluloid format. In a separate moment, the film’s main actor, Artika Sari Devi, expressed how moved she was to see it screened again, noting that this year’s JAFF feels “truly rich,” successfully creating intergenerational collaborations and offering a chance to reminisce together.

JAFF20 runs until 6 December 2025, presenting a total of 227 films from 43 Asia-Pacific countries. The full program schedule and ticket information can be found on JAFF’s official social media @jaffjogja and on the official website jaff-filmfest.org. Tickets are available through jaff-filmfest.org and TIX.ID.