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Message from Program Director

by jaff admin November 18, 2022

written by jaff admin

Messages from Program Director

Message from Program Director

Last year’s edition of Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival (JAFF) was a new chapter for the festival.

Held during the anxiety of the pandemic, JAFF returned to being an in-person meeting space after previously being forced to meet only online. Longing and enthusiasm were present in the air. Many people following strict health protocols, came one after another. The face-to-face meetings which had become an annual ritual were finally happening again. So how to maintain or even add to the splendour of a festival that was already big last year, to bring to life the 17th edition in 2022?

17 is an age that is often considered an important marker in Indonesia. At this age, people take birthday celebrations seriously. A festive party signifies that someone has arrived at the end of their adolescence and is entering adulthood. Those who are 17 years old are those who begin to take responsibility by becoming more mature in thinking and decision making. For JAFF, the 17th edition is more than just a celebration.

The 17th edition will reflect, strengthen, and affirm the identity of JAFF so that it becomes a warm and resilient festival nurturing the growth of creativity and openness for all film lovers.

There was a drastic jump in the number of registrants this year compared to the previous year, increasing more than 700 percent to more than 3000. The program team have then selected the films leading up to today: the days of the festival where you can see the results.

Across several meetings, we took turns choosing films encompassing a variety of stories. As you may know, the program team are separated by distance and even time across cities and continents.

From the start, we have always been open to ideas for the latest festival. A pleasant fluidity and wildness.

Like last year’s edition, the main competition program still combines two types of awards: Hanoman and NETPAC. It was no coincidence that last year both were won by the same film. There are 13 films this year competing from 10 countries, 7 of which being feature debuts for their directors. The Light of Asia short film competition (9 films from 6 countries) and the Indonesia Screen Awards, devoted to Indonesian films, are back again. This year also marks the return of an award that has been absent, namely the Geber Award, chosen by a jury of film community representatives and the Student Award.

In the Asian Perspectives program, we present 24 films from 10 countries. We are also introducing two new programs, Panorama and Emerging. Panorama is an Indonesian screening program for films which are circulating around the international film festival circuit.

Panorama aims to see the world through film festivals, look into Asian films, both their stories and events, as well as invite JAFF audiences to become part of the world cinema of the year by watching these films. Emerging is a special program for filmmakers that we feel have the potential to be given opportunities, to be introduced and follow their development over the next few years.

In addition, there will are programs for “special” audiences such as Films for Children and Whispering Cinema. We have also given gigs to several Indonesian feature films and films from Jogja Film Academy students. In the Community Forum, we are specifically screening short films directed by women from various cities throughout Indonesia. This is very important considering that the number of female directors is still minimal, which has an impact on the diversity of perspectives and ways of speaking. In addition, we have also created a special program entitled Soccer for All which will invite the audience to understand the ins and outs of Indonesian football from the perspective of the fans. This program was created to continue to call for the reform of the Indonesian football system after the many casualties in the Kanjuruhan Stadium incident.

The Classic program will show a film by Indonesian female director, Ratna Asmara entitled Dr. Samsi. According to records, this film was made in 1952, and has been digitized and researched by friends from Liarsip, a group that focuses on archiving and researching the history of women in Indonesian cinema. In addition, two Wong Kar-Wai films: In the Mood for Love and Chungking Express will be screened to provide an opportunity for audiences to watch both films in a cinema environment. These films will be preceded by the film Piknik Pesona, a production from Palari Films directed by 10 directors, some of whom grew and developed in grassroots areas and arenas, including JAFF. The 10 films will be screened altogether on one occasion and again in groups of five films. Who is to guess what the audience’s limit is especially with the increasing prevalence of long film durations in the mainstream industry.

JAFF at the age of 17, with the theme Bloom, strives to maintain the good from its festival program, constantly trying new things, and being relevant to the world cinema culture and Indonesia. Like a flower, we may view it not only from its outer beauty but also from the memory of good things that will develop after a long season of waiting. We will meet in the corners of that good event today to grow together.

Alexander Matius

Program Director

November 18, 2022 0 comment

Messages

Wandering With Wonder

by jaff admin November 18, 2022

written by jaff admin

Messages from Executive Director

Wandering With Wonder

In Javanese traditional cosmology, the period of birth is believed to be related to the future. In its 17-year journey, JAFF has frequently faced crises, both social and natural disasters. JAFF has gotten through at least three major crises, a major earthquake in the first year of JAFF (2006), the eruption of Mount Merapi in its 5th year (2010), and the Covid-19 pandemic which caused many alterations to JAFF 15 (2020). Perhaps, the presence of JAFF which has been consistent all this time is a miracle, like it was predestined.

Mobilised by mostly volunteers, JAFF has grown and developed to this day. Finding and witnessing the birth of new talents who have been able to excel at both the national and international levels is one of the biggest energies for JAFF. We realize, that maybe the miracle will not always come when we expect it. We must continue to organize ourselves. Try to be more professional, constantly improve our partnerships with stakeholders, and look for new discoveries as a sustainability strategy.

Therefore, we really appreciate the everlasting support from filmmakers, all partners, sponsors, volunteers, spectators, and the wider public for JAFF as it reaches its 17th year this year. Let’s continue to hold hands, work together, and collaborate to continue to create miracles with JAFF!

Ajish Dibyo

Executive Director

November 18, 2022 0 comment

Messages

Let’s Smile at Each Other Again

by jaff admin November 18, 2022

written by jaff admin

Messages from Festival Director

Let's Smile at Each Other Again

The thing I like most about a festival is the gatherings. A smile can be transformed into great energy in these meetings. This year, the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival (JAFF) is returning to its normal format just like before the pandemic. Films will be screened, guests brought in, the stage set, and cinema tables and verandas ready to witness these gatherings. The pandemic has taught us all to appreciate the meaning of a meeting even more. Like the commitments from previous years, if during the year we are too busy with work and routines, the implementation of JAFF is designed to be a summary of the journey of Asian and Indonesian films throughout the year. JAFF is ready to host cinema lovers’ gatherings and it has become characteristic that we are all part of JAFF hospitality. We are all the ones who determine whether JAFF is comfortable or not. We are all faces of JAFF itself.

This year I have to thank the Indonesiana Fund from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology. Funding assistance from Dana Indonesiana requires JAFF to continue to improve both in terms of implementation and organization. Before and during the festival, we will simultaneously hold Focused Discussion Groups (FGD) for the development of JAFF with regard to the Accumulation of Resources and Knowledge, and Consolidated National and International Strategic Partners to formulate JAFF’s future sustainability plans. It’s a big responsibility if in the next few years JAFF doesn’t improve and develop. For this reason, we ask for the active participation of all festival visitors and guests to provide input, and criticism as objectively as possible so that JAFF becomes more mature.

The theme of the festival is decided annually. A theme that we think can represent the spirit of the festival, as well as our reading of Asian cinema now and in the future. We quickly chose BLOSSOM to represent the spirit of the 17th edition of JAFF this year. 17 is an iconic age. We are opening up and blooming. Support from the audience and collaborations with various partners encourage and demand us to continue to be more mature. New talents grow and begin to blossom. For this reason, for the first time, JAFF chose a collection of short films to act as the opening screening. Films from young directors whose careers started from and through JAFF. ‘Piknik Pesona’ which contains a collection of 10 short films will be the opening film this year. Witness the courage of Indonesian cinema’s young people to speak.

Every year we also select a visual artist for the official artwork from JAFF. This year is the first year we have a three-dimensional object artwork by Octo Cornelius. This object will also be animated by Iwan Effendi. Enjoy this exceptional work in various visual elements of this year’s festival. Festival opening bumpers, official merchandise as well as various elements in every corner of the festival venue. This year hundreds of volunteers will also be the faces of JAFF. We are also holding another Community Forum, hundreds of film community activists will attend from various regions in Indonesia. It is JAFF’s commitment to stand on three main legs: New Talents, Academics and Professionals. Public Lectures are held every year with a number of urgent themes that we have selected, including two interesting and rarely discussed themes: Film Subtitling and Film Publicity.

This year JAFF will present 130 films from 19 countries which will be featured in JAFF’s main programs such as the Asian Feature Competition, Light of Asia, Asian Perspective, and JAFF Indonesian Screen Awards and ensure the excitement of the festival which will take place across the week. In addition, there are also three new programs starting this year: The emerging Program for new short film directors, the Panorama Program for showcases of Asian films, and also Series Program for series that have never been shown on digital platforms. Focus on Ho Yuhang continued with a Masterclass will be one of our special programs this year. Ho Yuhang is a filmmaker who has been active since the first festival. In addition to Ho Yuhang, JAFF will also screen works by established directors such as Jafar Panahi, Garin Nugroho, Lav Diaz, Hong Sang Soo alongside the classics of Wong Kar Wai.

It is necessary to make special note of the achievements of Indonesian films. Indonesian films are really developing. The rapid rise in audience numbers since the pandemic is something that no one could predict. In the main competition session of this year’s festival, for the first time, there will be three Indonesian films. Gina S. Noer, whose film two years ago was the best film at JAFF ISA, this year, enters the main competition with her latest film Like & Share, alongside the two film festival darlings Before, Now & Then by Kamila Andini and Autobiography by Makbul Mubarak. It is a pleasure to receive the latest work from filmmakers who work with JAFF such as Djenar Maesa Ayu, Dain Said, Wo Ming Jin, Yuda Kurniawan, BW Purbanegara, Ismail Basbeth, Robby Ertanto as well as short filmmakers such as Reza Fahriyansyah, Eden Junjung, Loeloe Hendra and Aco Tenri. After AUM!, this year one of the alumni of the Jogja Future Project has also finished his film and joined the JAFF-Indonesian Screen Award competition, Alang-Alang by Khusnul K Hitam. I also want to give bring attention to the Community Screen program, which this year curates the works of eight new talented Indonesian female directors.

JAFF cannot grow alone. We are very happy that several festivals are being held in several cities such as Balimakarya and Jakarta Film Week. Each festival has a limited screening capacity, while good work continues to be produced every year. Films have their own audience and characters, the more Film Festivals, the stronger the watching culture in Indonesia will be. The more viewers who come to enjoy JAFF, the more filmmakers will register their films to be screened at JAFF, so there is the demand to increase the appreciation and new screening spaces for these quality films that are constantly being born. Hopefully, in the future, Indonesia will have more and more film festivals.

Thank you to all JAFF supporting partners this year who have consistently supported us. Cinema XXI and KlikFilm have consistently acted as the venues for our film screenings. The Ministry of Education and Culture, the DIY Culture Office and the Film Censorship Institute always provide support. Also many thanks to all our supporting partners this year: Artotel Suites Bianti, MLDspot, Online Cinema, Vision+, Vidio, Grand Kangen Hotel, Citra Net, RK Studio, ATM Production, Telkomsel, Kuma Acting Workshop, Servis Bahasa, Kwikku, Cantrik, The Publicist, Jogja Film Academy, FEB UGM, Panasonic, Epson and friends at Jogja Festivals.

Let’s grow together celebrating our identity through Asian cinema.

Ifa Isfansyah

Festival Director

November 18, 2022 0 comment

Messages

Message from Governor of Yogyakarta

by jaff admin November 18, 2022

written by jaff admin

Message from Governor of Yogyakarta

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh

Best wishes

Om swastiastu

Namo Buddhaya

Kind regards

Since it was first held in 2006, the Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival (JAFF) has become an inseparable space from the dynamics of its community, where JAFF was presented as an effort to revive the spirit of the people of Yogyakarta after the earthquake.

Like Yogyakarta, which is open to incomers for both studying and tourism, JAFF enables cross-cultural communication between countries in Asia. This also strengthens the distinctiveness of Yogyakarta. Where cultural heritage and traditions are preserved while celebrating diversity.

As a region with the highest Cultural Development Index in Indonesia, all cultural activities that take place in Yogyakarta undeniably contribute to this achievement. For this reason, the Yogyakarta Regional Government is committed to supporting cultural activists in Yogyakarta in maintaining these achievements. This is only possible through communication and collaboration with all stakeholders.

Therefore, I offer my warmest embrace and appreciation for JAFF which has been able to continue to be held for 17 years without fail, even during the Covid-19 pandemic, as an actualization of the spirit of caring for the culture of Yogyakarta and its special people.

On behalf of the government and the people of the Special Region of Yogyakarta, I wish you “congratulations and success!”.

Wassalamu’alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

Yogyakarta, November 2022

GOVERNOR

SPECIAL REGION OF YOGYAKARTA

HAMENGKUBUWONO X

Hamengkubuwono X

Governor Special Region of Yogyakarta

November 18, 2022 0 comment

Messages

The Idiot – Final Part

by jaff admin November 18, 2022

written by jaff admin

Messages from Festival Curator

The Idiot – Final Part

I once felt like an idiot standing next to the famed Sri Lankan film academic, Wimal Dissanayake. We were at an Asian film conference in Hawaii, and I had noticed that most of the texts on Asian film were written by non-Asians. This was one of the key points made by Edward Said, in his classic book, Orientalism (1978), where he observed that much of the knowledge of Asia was often captured, catalogued, and consumed by non-Asians who then assumed the authoritative voice on the subject. In practice, as per Edward Said’s observation, Western experts would then quote other Western experts on the subject (instead of the Asian expert), to reinforce that dominance. That moment in Hawaii made me feel ashamed. Wimal didn’t say anything to my rhetorical question but of course, how could he? He had published over 30 books on Asian film. What answer could he give?

Over the years, it made me think that TIME gave us an opportunity, but it is also often a trap. The opportunity of time is to effect change. The trap is that we don’t realise that we are repeating past mistakes. Hence that famous cliché – “History repeats itself.” Time traps us because memory is limited. Time itself is endless but memories are short. The propagandists know this well. This was why the cinema of the New Order used film to propagate official history. Knowing how short memory is, the Suharto regime insisted on screening Pengkhianatan G30S/PKI (Treachery of September 30 Movement, 1984), each year on September 30, to repeat the official line of the New Order’s legitimacy. But the opportunity of time is that, just as good things can be forgotten, so can bad things.

This aspect of short memory makes me think about my philosophical approach when looking after JAFF’s programme. For the last 17 years, I used a key discipline from my training as a social worker – self-determination. To practice this principle, I had to consciously apply non-intervention whenever I look at each year’s programme. Over the years, I’ve often told the programmers to have the belief in their own selection. Even if I didn’t like a film that was selected or if something I like didn’t get in, I had to tell myself that the festival is for the JAFF people. Ultimately, the result of JAFF is the successful work by the local people themselves. For years, I’ve watched many festivals with foreign advisors who forced their will over the local voice. This is nothing more than a modern cultural aspect of post-colonialism. I didn’t want that to happen with JAFF, as JAFF’s Founder, Garin Nugroho, and I, have fought many battles to establish a local voice. It’s perhaps a key reason why JAFF chose to be an Asian, instead of an international film festival. The Asian voice had to be supported and promoted because it wasn’t very loud before. Plus, it was important to us that the Asian local voice got louder.

Furthermore, if JAFF is successful, then the new model of a non-interfering foreign programmer could be established and promoted. JAFF could set a useful example. A friend of mine who used to run a film festival, once hired a famous foreign programmer to contribute to her Asian programme. She had many years of conflict with him. Not being Asian herself, she didn’t mind it too much, perhaps she had less of a historical baggage of being bossed around. But such memories are perhaps just my memories. There are less of the new folk who have any intimation about the struggle in establishing the space to find your own voice. In the confidence of the new, that free space is taken for granted as theirs already. There is therefore no need for it to be hard-won, and no emotion in the satisfaction of having it.

But what of film selection itself? What kind of compass do we use to establish taste? Do we see what films have been selected and awarded at the big festivals? Or do we follow the song of the little road? One path is easier to walk than the other. Then again, there is always the middle path. Between both worlds, neither here nor there, the idiot savant walks. He smiles. He listens. He laughs. His blind eye is open…

Philip Cheah

Festival Curator

November 18, 2022 0 comment

Messages

Let’s Make Our Souls Blossom

by jaff admin November 18, 2022

written by jaff admin

Messages from Festival President

Let’s Make Our Souls Blossom

Without any interruption in seventeen years, Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival (JAFF) has been consistently present since its inception. As it navigates various obstacles along the way, JAFF nurtures a genuine appreciation as well as high respect to Asian cinema as an organic element of Asian culture and society. Thus, this seventeenth edition of JAFF can be understood as a testimony of our resilience and commitment to promote and disseminate Asian cinema regardless of socio-political conditions.

Choosing ‘Blossom’ as this year’s festival theme, we would like to highlight not only the festival’s age, but also as an ode to the youthful and vigorous spirit brought about by contemporary Asian cinema. As is well known, Asian cinema has always offered a fresh perspective as well as a new way of seeing of Asian culture and society. In other worlds, the word ‘blossom’ is closely associated with the youthfulness embodied in an emerging generation of Asian filmmakers and the need for rejuvenation of Asian cinema in keeping up with the changing world. Indeed, we deeply appreciate the great works that have been laid out by all Asian filmmakers in the past as they can be a source of inspiration to continue making a better work.

Translating the festival theme, this year we are providing a wide and more open platform for new Asian filmmakers to showcase their works although they might not receive as much support from established institutions. We believe wholeheartedly in the quote of Nobel laureate Doris Lessing, “Any human anywhere will blossom in a hundred unexpected talents and capacities simply by being given the opportunity to do so.” Therefore, we believe that extraordinary talent and incredible creativity might be sourced from less known places in Asia. The best cinematic gems often hide in the muddy ignorance and negligence of the diverse cinema culture in Asia.

Finally, film festival is a space for filmmakers to reach out to their audiences and encourage further conversation and reflection. Through cinema, we learn more about other culture and apply it to reflect on our own conditions. Moreover, cinema touches both mind and soul and makes us understand how to be human in a fullest sense. As the French author Marcel Proust once remarked, “Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” Therefore, thank you to the Asian filmmakers who have enriched our lives with meanings and joy by watching their wonderful cinematic works. And let’s make our soul blossom.

Budi Irawanto

Festival President

November 18, 2022 0 comment

Messages

The Dream 17 Years Ago And Today: Why is JAFF in Jogja?

by jaff admin November 17, 2022

written by jaff admin

Messages from Festival Founder

The Dream 17 Years Ago And Today: Why is JAFF in Jogja?

As teenagers, 17 year olds, must be filled with tempestuous new journeys exploring new maps. JAFF is experiencing various phenomena, namely the new media ecosystem era with a torrent of OTT services, various platforms for showing films on social media, and the emergence of new festivals in various parts of Indonesia. Also, there are the new approaches used by international festivals, especially for workshops and funding programs and their relation to distribution, as well as the new dynamics of Indonesian film and community.

Of particular note, JAFF is dealing with a demographic surplus of young people. Around 60 per cent of Indonesia’s population is aged 18-38; a generation that is familiar with the new media ecosystem who have their own ways of reading art and entertainment, including film.

Through this writing, I’m trying to reexamine the thought behind the JAFF establishment. Specifically, the background thought process, while discussing and inviting Phillip Cheah to establish JAFF, something simple came across my mind about Jogja as the city of choice for JAFF.

First, I had a dream, if JAFF goes in the right direction, it will become another face of Jakarta; Jakarta is the film industry hub and Jogja the city for film craft. More specifically, JAFF would be able to encourage Jogja to become a city of film talent, with actors, artists, and educators, as well as efficient, inexpensive and effective film technology operators. This could materialise if JAFF is not only focused on screening and awards but becoming a space to find and share knowledge and skills as well as networks; locally, nationally or internationally. Therefore, JAFF in its journey has tried to cultivate these elements.

Second, in choosing Jogja as JAFF’s growth space, the consideration was that nurturing a festival must be based on five aspects, social capital, cultural capital, intellectual capital, skill capital and networking capital, and financial capital. Of course, we don’t have to meet all of them, for example, financial capital is not the primary foundation of Jogja, but the other capitals exist in the fabric and history of Jogja.

Third, choosing Jogja as a space for JAFF to grow takes the strength of higher education institutions, cultural observers and more specifically the strength of diverse film communities. Therefore, initially, JAFF met with more than 65 communities in Jogja. Now, 17 years later, Jogja has grown into a city of film crafts, but now is also faced with an era of new media ecosystems. Have a great new journey JAFF, you’re becoming an adult!

Garin Nugroho

Festival Founder

November 17, 2022 0 comment