Author: admin

JAFF Market , the first film market in Indonesia, recorded various interesting achievements. As the first film market in Indonesia held for three days on December 3-5 at the Jogja Expo Center (JEC), Yogyakarta, JAFF Market received a total of 6,723 visitors from 18 different countries.

During the three days, there were 151 booths opened, 1,767 meetings held, 61 MoUs signed, 164 journalists from various countries attended, and 1,054 market badges. Then, the JAFF Content Market program received 43 registrants with 10 selected projects that have resulted in 144 meetings.

“The three-day JAFF Market has shown the high enthusiasm of film industry players in Indonesia and this can be seen from the number of meetings that took place during the JAFF Market. This is read as a sign that the Indonesian film industry is open to collaborating with each other both in Indonesian and international territories,” said Ajish Dibyo as Executive Director of JAFF Market at the closing of JAFF Market at the Jogja Expo Center (JEC), Yogyakarta, Thursday (5/12).

Some of the collaborations that have also been established include Miles Films’ latest film titled Rangga & Cinta which will begin the production process with support from Barunson E&A (Korea) and Imajinari thanks to the network at JAFF Market. Meanwhile, Magma Entertainment has collaborated with Komet Productions from Malaysia and Caravan Studio.

The Indonesian Ministry of Culture also announced a partnership with the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the field of audiovisual co-production. This collaboration provides an opportunity for filmmakers from both countries to receive funding from both governments. The agreement was signed by the Director General of Culture and Media of the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science Barbera Wolfensberger, and the Indonesian Deputy Minister of Culture Giring Ganesha.(M-2)

Source By Media Indonesia

By Fathurrozak

THE JAFF Market event has ended on Thursday (5/12). The first film market in Indonesia was held for three days on 3-5 December at the Jogja Expo Center (JEC), Yogyakarta. In addition to being a transaction and meeting event for film industry players, and exhibiting various latest titles from production houses, JAFF Market also presents various programs. One of them is the JAFF Future Project.

JAFF Future Project is a space for emerging filmmakers to meet with industry professionals. Designed to find potential and quality feature film projects.

JAFF Future Project received 74 applicants. Then 10 projects were selected consisting of 7 projects from Indonesia, 1 project from Malaysia, and 2 projects from Australia. JAFF Future Project has also successfully held 243 meetings and produced 4 awards, namely the Kongchak Award, the Whitelight Post-Production Award, and two from the BSM Award which were announced at the closing of JAFF Market on Thursday (5/12). Here is a list of winners at JAFF Future Project:

1. Kongchak Award

The Silent Village (Safe/Peaceful) by director Ho Yuhang, producer Lorna Tee, Barunson E&A.

2. White Light Post-Production Award

Pangku (Motion Picture Film) film by director Reza Rahadian

3. BSM Awards

The Silent Village (Safe/Peaceful) by director Ho Yuhang, producer Lorna Tee, Barunson E&A.

4. BSM Awards

Until Death (Sampai Mati) by director Ben Golotta.(M-2)

Source By Media Indonesia

By Fathurrozzak

Indonesian production “The Light of Fire” (Tinju Api), a coming-of-age action drama from director-writer Sesarini, is being presented at the inaugural JAFF Market, running alongside the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival.

The project, produced by Lyza Anggraheni and Ismail Basbeth under their banner Ruang Basbeth Bercerita, follows 17-year-old Yuda, whose father is killed in an underground boxing match. The story tracks his journey into illegal boxing as he seeks vengeance, ultimately discovering that healing comes not through revenge but through embracing his father’s legacy.

The film has already gained attention on the development circuit, securing second place at the 2023 Indonesiana script lab program after being selected for the Producer Lab at Jakarta Film Week 2022.

A new documentary project, “Me, My Mother’s Favorite Monkey” (Aku, Monyet Kesayangan Ibuku), helmed by director Ivonne Kani, examines Chinese-Indonesian identity through the lens of intergenerational family dynamics at the inaugural JAFF Market in Yogyakarta.

The film follows Kani’s year-long journey exploring her cultural heritage through traditional Chinese rituals including Chinese New Year, Tomb Sweeping Day (Qing Ming), and the Winter Solstice Festival (Dongzhi). Drawing parallels to the Monkey King from “Journey to the West,” Kani documents her relationship with her mother while addressing the complexities of being ethnic Chinese in Indonesia.

“Through this film, I aim to confront the tension between my personal choices and my family’s cultural expectations,” says Kani, who positions herself both behind and in front of the camera wearing a golden headpiece inspired by Sun Wukong (the Monkey King). Her journey is particularly influenced by observing her mother’s experience with menopause, prompting reflections on societal expectations for women.

The documentary employs fire as a recurring visual motif, appearing in various forms including burning incense, altar candles, and ritual offerings. These elements connect to deeper themes of unspoken trauma within the Chinese-Indonesian community, stemming from historical periods of violence and oppression.

Producer Frederica Nancy connected with the project’s themes on a personal level. “Whenever I say I can’t speak Chinese, I sometimes find some sort of ‘Oh that’s too bad’ expression from the people who ask. Believe me, I feel that too,” Nancy says. “Why do I feel so distant from my roots, when I never intentionally reject them?”

The documentary addresses the lasting impact of the Suharto regime’s New Order restrictions on Chinese language and cultural practices, which were lifted in 1998 but continue to influence the Chinese-Indonesian community’s sense of belonging.

The project is being presented at the JAFF Market, running Dec. 3-5 alongside the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival, where the team hopes to strengthen connections within Indonesia’s documentary ecosystem. “We hope that documentaries can meet a broader community of people,” says Nancy, emphasizing their goal to “strengthen the Indonesian documentary ecosystem, nationally and globally.”

The film aims to serve as a micro-history, offering insight into the experiences of ethnic Chinese living outside China while exploring universal questions of identity and belonging.

“Me, My Mother’s Favorite Monkey” is at the market’s Future Project platform.

Source By Variety

By Naman Ramachandran

Indonesia’s Base Entertainment and Netherlands-based New Amsterdam have partnered on two projects, the companies revealed at the inaugural JAFF Market that takes place alongside the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival (JAFF) in Yogyakarta (Jogja) from Dec. 3-5.

The collaboration includes “Hemelrijk,” a limited series from writer-director Jim Taihuttu, who previously worked with both companies on “De Oost” (“The East”). The second project is a feature adaptation of Indonesian author Leila Chudori’s novel “Pulang” (Home).

Production on “Hemelrijk” is set to begin in late 2025, while development on “Pulang” will start in early 2025.

“We are thrilled to collaborate again with Jim Taihuttu on the series ‘Hemelrijk,’ which he has written and will direct, and with New Amsterdam on these two projects, including the adaptation of Leila Chudori’s novel ‘Pulang (Home),’” said Base Entertainment co-CEO Shanty Harmayn. “Both projects present powerful and meaningful family stories, building cultural bridges between Indonesia and the Netherlands. We look forward to continuing the success of our previous collaboration on ‘De Oost.’”

New Amsterdam producer Sander Verdonk said: “Looking very much forward to come back to Indonesia and shoot our new co-production ‘Hemelrijk’ with the best partner a producer can dream for, Ibu Shanty Harmayn from Base Entertainment. And also to co develop and produce the adaptation of one of the best books from Indonesia, ‘Pulang’ (Home) by Leila Chudori. This will further establish our strong collaboration between our countries and is very helped by the new treaty.”

Source By Variety 

By Naman Ramachandran

The newly signed co-production treaty between the Netherlands and Indonesia aims to strengthen bilateral film collaboration, providing filmmakers from both countries access to national funding schemes and production incentives, industry leaders revealed at the inaugural JAFF Market in Jogja, Indonesia during a panel.

The inaugural JAFF Market takes place alongside the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival (JAFF) in Yogyakarta from Dec. 3-5. The panel was moderated by producer Lorna Tee of An Original Picture NL, who also serves as JAFF Market advisor.

Sandra den Hamer, CEO of the Netherlands Film Fund, highlighted that the treaty emerged from grassroots interest rather than top-down policy. “It comes from the filmmakers and producers. There’s a lot of interest to make films together, or to make films in Indonesia, to retell our history,” she said.

The treaty follows successful agreements the Netherlands has established with Canada, China, France, Germany, Norway and South Africa. With South Africa, they created a concrete joint fund that has supported 12 films in development and one in production, den Hamer noted.

The collaboration between producer Sander Verdonk of the Netherlands’ New Amsterdam and Shanty Hermayn of Indonesia’s Base Entertainment on Jim Taihuttu’s war drama “The East” (De Oost) served as a proving ground for Dutch-Indonesian co-production potential. The film, which involved over 800 cast and crew members across 40 locations in Java, navigated complex logistical challenges including visa issues and cultural differences in production practices.

Hermayn revealed that Indonesian equity investment came through market-based funding against distribution rights. “I can contribute in funding, but it needs to be from the market,” she explained of the Indonesian financing structure in the absence of government funding mechanisms.

The film found success on Prime Video during the pandemic, with Verdonk noting it marked “the first real Dutch production” for the platform in the territory. In Indonesia, the film performed strongly on Mola TV and later aired on free-to-air television.

Looking ahead, Verdonk and Hermayn are collaborating on Taihuttu’s “Hemelrijk,” a limited series set around a plantation in Bandung and a feature film adaptation of “Pulang” (Home), the acclaimed novel by Indonesian author Leila Chudori. The projects aims to build on lessons learned from “The East” while leveraging new opportunities under the treaty framework.

Producer Yulia Evina Bhara emphasized that the treaty provides legal authority regarding status and financial contributions. “We can access more funding, not only like Hubert Bals Fund,” she said, referring to the competitive Netherlands international fund that receives over 1,000 applications per round.

Distribution remains a key challenge, with limited theatrical releases for Asian films in the Netherlands and Dutch films in Indonesia. The treaty presents an opportunity to address this gap, as Indonesia’s theatrical market reaches for an estimated 80 million admissions this year with domestic films commanding 68% market share, while Dutch films maintain 30-40% of their home market.

Source By Variety

By  Naman Ramachandran

Indonesiana.TV, the government-backed digital platform, is teaming up with the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival‘s new JAFF Market 2024 initiative to expand distribution channels for Indonesian filmmakers. The collaboration marks a strategic push to connect local content creators with international buyers and strengthen the country’s growing film ecosystem.

“We aim to demonstrate that the latest media technology can serve as a powerful tool for elevating the global profile of Indonesian cinema,” says Heni Wiradimaja, general coordinator of Indonesiana.TV.

The platform, managed by Indonesia‘s Cultural Media Office (BMK), represents part of a broader government effort to support the nation’s film industry. BMK head Abu Chanifah notes that “Indonesiana.TV as a digital platform represents a tangible manifestation of this effort… and opens a more inclusive appreciation space, both at the national and international levels.”

The initiative includes the Layar Anak IndonesianaTV (LAI) Open Call program, which LAI Coordinator Rina Damayanti describes as a manifestation of the government’s efforts in “ensuring that all voices, including those from remote areas, can be heard on the national and international stage,” echoing Chanifah’s sentiments.

JAFF Market 2024 is designed as an integrated marketplace, bringing together filmmakers, producers, content buyers, film institutes, and media professionals. The event aims to facilitate networking opportunities and foster collaborations within the industry.

Supporting these efforts, the Film Music and Media Directorate manages the Indonesiana Film scheme, which provides resources for short feature film production across various genres. The program includes screenwriting and production workshops, along with research support for story development.

The partnership comes at a time when Indonesia’s film production numbers are rising, creating increased employment opportunities and strengthening the industry’s role in cultural diplomacy. Through this collaboration, JAFF Market and Indonesiana.TV aim to establish sustainable foundations for the continued growth of Indonesian cinema.

As Indonesia’s film industry reaches new heights internationally, JAFF Market‘s leadership team is focused on building sustainable infrastructure to support the sector’s rapid growth. The market, which runs alongside the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival (JAFF) in Yogyakarta, popularly known as Jogja, from Dec. 3-5, aims to address crucial industry needs while fostering new talent.

Films from the country now routinely get selected and win prizes at major international festivals. The local market in Indonesia, which has the fourth-largest population in the world with 283 million, is rapidly expanding with homegrown productions accounting for a significant share. Indonesia is also bolstering its cultural policies that include an annual $13 million international co-production grant. The box office is in robust shape and to date in 2024, there are some 72 million admissions for Indonesian films released in the country.

Jogja’s inaugural JAFF Market is positioning itself as a connector between Indonesia’s diverse film ecosystem, from independent filmmakers to major studios, according to market chair, noted filmmaker Ifa Isfansyah. Running Dec. 3-5 alongside the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival (JAFF), the market aims to streamline access to Southeast Asia’s largest film industry.

“We think Indonesia needs this hub. If you want to know about Indonesian film industry, we don’t have an event or hub,” Isfansyah says. “When you want to meet with Indonesian film companies, let’s say you have one week in Jakarta, maybe you can just meet five companies because of traffic. But with this market, I really hope it’s effective for everyone who wants to connect with Indonesian collaborations.”

The market’s programming includes project and content markets, exhibitions, conferences, and company lounges. A key initiative is the Talent Day program, which focuses on discovering new professionals across various film disciplines including directing, editing, and production design. Selected participants undergo two months of online workshops followed by offline sessions during the festival.

While the initial focus is on the Indonesian film industry, the market has attracted companies from across the region with the 92 exhibitors being from Indonesia Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and South Korea. Major Indonesian platforms and companies are using the event not just for industry networking but also as a promotional platform to engage with film students and cinephiles.

In addition, the market has some 700 accreditations, representing professionals from France, the Netherlands, China, Singapore, South Korea, Philippines, Australia, Thailand, Norway, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia. Global interest is high, with the market featuring an Indonesia-France Film Lab with six projects, and a producer hub initiative with Korea in association with Indonesian producers’ guild APROFI with seven projects. This is in addition to the 10 projects that are part of the JAFF Future Project platform, two of which are Australian co-productions.

“Maybe more than 80% of young people in Indonesia or young filmmakers don’t really have experience in film markets,” Isfansyah notes. “This is also to give experience for film professionals or new filmmakers in terms of project markets or content markets.”

The market’s development has received government backing, with JAFF selected as one of 15 strategic cultural events receiving state support. Government funding comprises approximately 30% of the market’s financing, with additional support from local authorities.

The festival’s location in Yogyakarta, commonly known as Jogja, a university town known for its cultural atmosphere, has proven advantageous. “Everything happens not because of money or business, but because people meet people,” Isfansyah says. “During the festival days, I think the Indonesian film industry moves to Jogja.”

The Ministry of Culture of Indonesia and Embassy of France have launched the inaugural Indonesia France Film Lab at the first-ever JAFF Market, running Dec. 3-5 alongside the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival (JAFF).

Six emerging projects have been selected for the intensive four-day workshop, which features mentorship from an international slate of industry experts. Indonesian filmmaker Makbul Mubarak, whose debut feature “Autobiography” was a collaboration between eight countries, and French producer Louise Bellicaud (In Vivo Films) will serve as group leaders.

Additional mentors include French director Rachid Hami, sales executive Sébastien Chesneau from Cercamon, Japanese producer Eiko Mizuno, distributor Fernanda Renno and Singaporean producer Tan Si En. The mentors are providing guidance on co-production opportunities between Southeast Asia, Europe and France.

“First Breath After Coma” (Studio Antelope/BASE) from director Jason Iskandar and producer Florence Giovanni follows three estranged Chinese-Indonesian siblings grappling with their father’s coma amid political transition in the late 1990s.

“Happy Happy Family” (Pasar Malam Films) from director Andrew Kose and producer Evi Cecilia centers on a mother seeking answers to her daughter’s suicide while reflecting on her rebellious teenage years in 1990s Medan.

“Partus” (Foolfeel Films) from director Guruh Nusantara and producer Dewangkoro Rinugroho follows a young midwife who returns to her village to open her practice while caring for her sick mother, forcing her to overcome rivalry with a traditional midwife.

“Sides of a Coin” from writer-director Grace Stefany and producers Susanti Dewi and Sarah Rostia Debby explores how the death of a watch shop owner in 1980s Indonesia reveals hidden debts that force his grieving family to run a gambling business.

“Fly!” (Dir: Pelixiano, Prod: Ellen Xie) is an animated feature about a grieving Balinese boy who journeys to the realm of the dead to reunite with his lost father.

“Anak (Kwaaak!)” from director Anggun Priambodo and producer Suryo Wiyogo tells the story of children who defy their parents’ wishes to perform at a distant festival while facing wilderness challenges.

The initiative is spearheaded by producer Yulia Evina Bhara (“Autobiography,” “Tiger Stripes”) and Vivian Idris, with support from APROFI (Association of Indonesian Film Producers) and Institut Français Indonesié.

Source By Variety

By Naman Ramachandran