Soundies: Where Music Meets Audiovisual at JAFF20

This year, JAFF introduces a brand-new program, Soundies,  a special screening program that highlights music videos and various audio-visual forms born from the world of music. This program celebrates the fusion of sound and image, where rhythm, lyrics, and visuals come together to create a unique cinematic experience.

Soundies presents Harapan (Moses Sihombing & Hafizh Armynazrie, 2025) by The Cottons. This 17-minute music video visualizes Extended Play (EP) Harapan, which consists of Harapan Pt. 1, Harapan Pt. 2, and Harapan Pt. 3. Directors Moses Sihombing and Hafizh Armynazrie craft the EP’s musical material into a narrative form, portraying the journey of a hope that emerges, falters, and ultimately finds acceptance in its failure. Across its three chapters, the visuals unfold through a series of montages that represent each part of the musical composition. “We dedicate this music video to the horse featured in it. The horse passed away three months ago. Without it, the concept for this music video would have felt less powerful and lacking in emotional climax,” said Moses Sihombing.

Following Harapan, Soundies  continues with Galura Tropikalia Alive (Kathleen Malay, 2025), a live-session film based on The Panturas’ album of the same title. Through six surreal episodes interwoven with live performances, the film traces the story of a couple gradually drifting apart. With The Panturas’ exploratory surf-rock sound and Kathleen Malay’s imaginative cinematography, the film blurs the boundaries between the music industry and cinema, opening new possibilities for collaboration between the two worlds. The presence of these two works at JAFF20 reflects the festival’s commitment to embracing cross-disciplinary artists from across Indonesia.

Music and audio-visual collaborations at JAFF20 extend beyond the Soundies program. This year marks the return of the Cinematic Concert, featuring White Shoes & The Couples Company on 5 December 2025 at Studio 1, Empire XXI Yogyakarta. Secure your ticket and experience this special presentation from WSATCC at JAFF!