JOGJA-Netpac Asian Film Festival (JAFF) is back this year. The 18th edition of JAFF 2023 will take place from November 25-December 2, 2023 in Yogyakarta.
There are 205 films from 25 Asia Pacific countries that will be screened in competition and non-competition programs. In addition, nine feature films were selected to compete in the Main Competition program for the Golden and Silver Hanoman Awards. Two of them are Evil Does Not Exist and Perfect Days, which earlier this month won the Grand Jury Award and Best Film at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards 2023.
Australian film Shayda and Bhutanese film The Monk and The Gun, which is the country’s representative for the Best International Feature Film at the 2023 Academy Awards, are also among the films in the Main Competition program. Monism is the only Indonesian film competing in the Main Competition program.
“The characteristics of Asian films have been seen more and more recently and are getting stronger. So, we as Asians, especially the cinema, it’s time to become a source of light for ourselves. However, the light is not only for cinema, but also for our environment, as we are doing at this year’s JAFF by caring more about the waste problem,” explained Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival Director Ifa Isfansyah, in a press conference that took place online, Friday, (10/11/2023). His remarks also explained the meaning behind the Luminescence theme, which was created this year.
In the Light of Asia short film competition, 14 films will compete for the Blencong Awards. JAFF will also honor directors presenting their first and second feature-length films through the NETPAC Awards competition.
In addition, eight Indonesian films screening this year will compete in the JAFF Indonesian Screen Awards program for Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenwriter, Best Cast, and Best Cinematography awards.
In the non-competition program, JAFF will screen a selection of the best Asia Pacific films. A total of 13 feature films from nine countries and 19 short films from nine countries will be screened in the Asian Perspectives program, three Indonesian feature films in the Indonesian Film Showcase program, and 12 Indonesian short films from new directors in the Emerging program.
JAFF will also screen a compilation of 12 short films from Sumatra entitled “Focus on Sumatra Island with Kenduri Serumpun Melayu” in the Layar Komunitas program, as well as a compilation of 10 short films in the Kompro – Layar Indonesiana program.
Still in the non-competition program, the 18th JAFF will feature a new exploration of cinema through a compilation of five Efek Rumah Kaca music videos titled Rhizome Dilayarkan and Dirayakan. JAFF18 will also premiere Indonesian films, including Ali Topan, 24 Jam Bersama Gaspar, Falling in Love Like in the Movies, Monster (Indonesia), Setan Alas, and Pemukiman Setan.
Two Retrospective programs, featuring the films of Tonny Trimarsanto and Christine Hakim celebrate their consistency in the film industry. In addition, a short film titled Rapsodi: Fragments of Happiness from Laleilmanino, Basri & Salma in a Never-ending Comedy from Khozy Rizal, and Gareth Evans’ 4K restoration of The Raid will also be screened. (M-1)
