The 19th Jogja-Netback Asian Film Festival (JAFF) in Indonesia was the most successful to date, and the inaugural JAFF Market proved to be an auspicious debut. diverse He was present to report on both.
To put things in context, films from Indonesia are now routinely selected and win awards at major international festivals. The domestic market in Indonesia, which has the world’s fourth-largest population with 283 million, is expanding rapidly with local productions accounting for a large share of the domestic box office. Indonesia is also working to strengthen its cultural policies, which includes a $13 million annual co-production grant.
Here are some key takeaways from the festival and market:
A lively and active festival and market
“Energy” and “buzz” were the most talked about words during the festival and market, and for good reason too. Despite being held on similar dates to the 25th Asian Television Forum and Market in neighboring Singapore and the 35th Singapore International Film Festival, the three-day dry market showed strong international appeal, attracting 6,723 participants from 18 regions, including the elite From the Indonesian film industry. The exhibition witnessed 151 exhibitor pavilions, leading to 1,767 meetings and the signing of 61 memorandums of understanding. The festival attracted more than 24,000 visitors, representing the highest turnout since its launch in 2006.
All of Indonesia’s leading production companies were present at the events, including MD Entertainment, Vicinema, which showed footage from the upcoming 3D animation “Jumbo,” and Magma Entertainment, which revealed the genre list.
“During the festival I experienced amazing creative energy. The atmosphere is so high here. It’s really beautiful. It’s really beautiful,” said Lavish M. Samtani of Mandela Pictures, producer of JAFF’s closing night film A Brother and 7 Siblings. diverse.
Al-Samtani attributed this vitality to the presence of a crowd of young people, most of whom are in their mid-twenties. “There are a lot of universities here, so coming out of those universities, and having filmmakers come here, has these young people coming to see movies, and that’s what makes it really cool,” Samtani said.
The sense of well-being also stems from the fact that the Indonesian film industry is currently on the rise, with Edwin Nazir, president of the Association of Indonesian Film Producers (APROFI), noting that admissions reached 74 million in early December. The number may reach 80 million by the end of the year.
“It’s more vibrant. I think you can sense it’s still at a grassroots level here,” said Robin Hatari, Netflix’s public policy director for Southeast Asia. diverse. “I think everyone is also doing well in Indonesia, because the film industry is at its peak now. So there is a lot of positivity. And everyone here is absolutely looking forward to the future.”
Raising international co-production quotas
Indonesia is no stranger to multi-country co-productions, with recent examples being the Venice Prize-winning “Autobiography,” the Cannes Prize-winning “Tiger Stripes,” and the Toronto, Busan and London-themed “Croscodile Tears.” Dry Market has taken additional steps to promote international co-production with the signing of an audio-visual co-production agreement between Indonesia and the Netherlands; the French Indonesian Film Lab, which aims to foster a mutual ecosystem; The Producers Guild of Korea and the Indonesian Film Producers Association are deepening their cooperation, focusing on the horror genre; Two of the projects in the JAFF Future Project platform are Australian co-productions.
Upon signing the treaty, Barbera Wolfensperger, Director-General for Culture and Media at the Netherlands Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, said that it “will open doors for Indonesian and Dutch filmmakers to collaborate on new and exciting projects, to combine their talents and expertise, and bring to life stories that transcend borders and reach audiences around the world.” ”
Indonesian Deputy Culture Minister Gering Ganesha Gomario said at the event that he hopes “the works of Indonesian filmmakers will receive more recognition on the global stage.” These were also the sentiments expressed by Indonesia’s Korean, French and Australian partners.
“Partnering with Indonesian talent allows us to blend our cultures and create narratives that resonate deeply with Australian and Indonesian viewers,” said Australian director Ben Gulotta, whose Bali bombing documentary To Death is on the market.
Two joint productions between Indonesia and the Netherlands were announced immediately after the signing of the treaty.
Upskilling is the name of the game
The focus of both the festival and the market was on improving skills. Netflix built on the success of its 2023 Pitch Lab series by conducting Reel Life Film Camp in partnership with JAFF. The initiative, supported by the Netflix Creative Equity Fund, selected 75 participants from more than 600 applicants from across Indonesia for online training in various filmmaking roles, including production assistance, accounting, post-production, sound design, special effects and acting. Of these, 24 participants progressed to in-person sessions at Jogja during JAFF, followed by networking opportunities at the Talent Day at JAFF Market.
“This particular festival is unique in its own way compared to other festivals we usually go to, especially markets. It allows not only people or production houses to showcase their final product, but (also) for the next and upcoming generation as well, to take their idea to the next level, because it is a source where They can actually look for other people in the industry who can complete their entire project as well. “This is very unique,” Netflix’s Hatari said. And I see a lot of that happening. “I see a lot of connections happening.”
“That’s why one of the things that Netflix has done with JAFF is to actually work on the talent, and we’re able to upskill them, and we can just bring them directly into upcoming projects,” Hatari added. “So, if there’s a project coming up (and) they’re lacking a particular skill set, like production finance or visual effects, we hope those slots can be filled directly with people who have completed the session with us.”
Likewise, Fabien Benoni, Ambassador of France to Indonesia, expressed optimism about the French Indonesian Film Lab, which is seen as a long-term sustainable initiative, growing in size and influence over time. The goal is to establish the Lab as an annual event, to create a permanent framework for nurturing talent and promoting co-production opportunities. Plans for future editions include increased participation and mobility programs for selected talents to come to France and Indonesia.
“We need to structure networks, and we need to help young Indonesian filmmakers feel more comfortable in the French market,” Benoni said. “We won’t teach them how to shoot a movie, but we can help them learn about customs, culture and the way the French market works.”
Indonesia as the center of Southeast Asia
Ultimately, the goal of the festival and market is to capitalize on the fact that Indonesia is the largest market in Southeast Asia and turn it into a regional hub. Dry Market has positioned itself as a link between Indonesia’s diverse film ecosystem, from independent filmmakers to major studios, according to the market’s president, acclaimed director Eva Isfansyah.
“We think Indonesia needs this center. If you want to know about the Indonesian film industry, we don’t have an event or a center,” Isfansyah said. “When you want to meet Indonesian film companies, let’s say you have one week in Jakarta, maybe you can just meet Five companies due to traffic. But with this marketplace, I really hope it will be effective for everyone who wants to connect with Indonesian collaborations.
Market director Linda Gozali, who is also co-founder of Magma Entertainment, described Indonesia as “an industry that dares to dream big.” Samtani echoed her thoughts, saying: “All filmmakers have raised their game. Better content comes out. We see movie theaters growing. There is a growth of 2-5% in this sector. So the distribution will become larger. “This only means more tickets sold.”
“The only difference is that we haven’t seen Hollywood recover after the pandemic, so we’ve made gains because of that. I think 65% of the tickets sold are all Indonesian (titles), which is great for us. I think there’s just room,” Samtani added. To grow from here.”