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The Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival (Jaff) is gearing up for the second edition of Jaff Market at the Jogja Expo Center in Yogyakarta.

The industry platform returns following a successful inaugural run in 2024 that drew 6,700 participants from 19 countries, featured 151 exhibition booths, and facilitated 63 business deals totaling around IDR36 billion ($2.2 million). The event forms part of Jaff’s 20th anniversary celebrations as one of Asia Pacific’s leading film festivals.

“Jaff Market was born from Jaff’s long-standing commitment to champion Asian independent cinema,” said Ifa Isfansyah, festival director of Jaff. “We now expand that vision by building an industry-facing space designed to meet today’s demands – one that helps Indonesian stories thrive and compete globally.”

The second edition maintains the six core programs designed to activate the creative value chain: Jaff Future Project for project incubation, Content Market for IP showcase and business matchmaking, Talent Day for emerging talent mentorship,...

The Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival (Jaff) delegation has arrived at the Cannes Film Festival with plans to showcase Indonesia’s burgeoning creative industries on the global stage.

As Jaff prepares to celebrate its 20th anniversary, its industry platform Jaff Market is leveraging the festival to highlight multiple Indonesian projects and forge international partnerships.

Leading the Indonesian contingent is “Pangku,” the directorial debut from celebrated actor Reza Rahadian. The coming-of-age drama, set against Indonesia’s 1998 economic crisis, was first unveiled at Jaff Future Project 2024 where it secured the White Light Post-Production Award. The film will screen in the ‘Haf Goes to Cannes’ program at Marché du Film.

Three original IP projects showcased at Jaff Content Market 2024 will be featured at Marché du Film’s Spotlight Asia – Asian IP Adaptation program. These include “Locust” from indie publisher Kosmik (founded by Marvel and DC comics artist Sunny Gho), “Bandits of Batavia” by...

As Valentine’s Day offerings flood streaming platforms, Netflix’s latest Indonesian rom‑com stakes its claim with a story that reflects global fascination with reality dating shows and personal transformation. Director Robert Ronny places the sleek, studio‑bound world of The Most Beautiful Girl in the World beside the lush tropics of an uncharted island, framing a narrative that engages both local viewers and international audiences attuned to Bollywood’s penchant for grand gestures and heartfelt emotion.

Reuben Wiraatmadja, played by Reza Rahadian, inherits his late father’s media empire on one condition: he must marry “the most beautiful girl in the world” within six months. Enter Kiara (Sheila Dara Aisha), the principled producer whose resistance to superficiality sparks the friction that powers the film’s charm.

Through rapid‑fire TV sequences and quieter, sun‑drenched survival scenes, the picture merges sentimental romance with a playful critique of commodified attraction.

Focus Asia, the industry arm of the Far East Film Festival, has unveiled its full 2025 lineup featuring Indonesian star Reza Rahadian’s directorial debut “On Your Lap” and Canadian-Pakistani “In Flames” filmmaker Zarrar Kahn’s “Suffering is Optional” among its selections.

The industry platform, running April 28-30 in Udine, Italy, has selected 11 projects for its All Genres Project Market and seven films for the Far East in Progress section from over 120 submissions spanning 31 countries.

The projects selected for the All Genres Project Market, spotlighting productions with Asian-European co-production potential, include “Cubs,” directed by Riri Riza and produced by Forka Films (Indonesia); “Delight Delight,” directed by Sunny Yu and produced by In Bloom Films (Taiwan) in partnership with E&w Films (Singapore); “Dinosaur Boy,” directed by Zhiquan Liu and produced by Dinosaur Studio (China); and “Green Valley and the Amber Marbles,” directed by Nguyen Nam Vu and produced through a five-country collaboration...

The Cannes Film Festival’s “Goes to Cannes” program will once again spotlight five promising Asian projects from the Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf) at this year’s Marche du Film, marking another strong year for the continent’s emerging filmmakers.

The 2025 selection showcases a diverse range of storytelling from across Asia, with each project expected to complete production this year. Drama emerges as the dominant genre, with deep explorations of personal relationships, societal pressures, and intimate character studies.

China leads the way with two entries, including Gong Yiwen’s “Her First Taste,” a coming-of-age narrative about a teenage girl who forms a subtle connection with a boy, exploring unspoken questions of young love. Produced by Qian Yini for Yiwen Films and Sparks Production, the film is in the Putonghua and Shengzhou dialects.

The second Chinese entry, co-produced with Hong Kong, is Liu Xing’s “Say My Name,...

Liu Xing’s Hong Kong-China co-production Say My Name and Gong Yiwen’s mainland China production Her First Taste were both presented with Wip Awards in the works-in-progress section of this year’s Hkiff Industry projects market.

Say My Name also won the White Light Post-Production Award and was one of five winners in the Haf Goes to Cannes program.

In Hkiff Industry’s In Development section, the two Idp Awards went to Waves Under The Sea, a co-production between Hong Kong, China and Macau, directed by Chan Sileong, and Drive South Pray West, co-directed by Thailand’s Panu Aree and Kong Rithdee.

Both the Idp and Wip sections give out two awards – one to a Hong Kong project, including co-productions with Hong Kong, and the other to a project from outside Hong Kong. All four awards come with a cash prize of $12,800.

The Idp Awards and Wip Awards...

Say My Name, an upcoming China-Hong Kong romantic drama, won three prizes at the Hkiff Industry Project Market awards, which also crowned the winner of its inaugural animation showcase.

Marking the directorial debut feature of Liu Xing, Say My Name picked up the Wip award of $12,800; the White Light post-production prize, offering services worth $15,000; and an opportunity to attend the Cannes Marche to seek further support.

The story centres on a girl who impersonates an exchange student to start a relationship with a wealthy boy. Yoyo Tse, Jack Tan and Cai Jie have been cast in key roles. A producer...

Say My Name, an upcoming China-Hong Kong romantic drama, won three prizes at the Hkiff Industry Project Market awards, which also crowned the winner of its inaugural animation showcase.

Marking the directorial debut feature of Liu Xing, Say My Name picked up the Wip award of $12,800; the White Light post-production prize, offering services worth $15,000; and an opportunity to attend the Cannes Marche to seek further support.

The story centres on a girl who impersonates an exchange student to start a relationship with a wealthy boy. Yoyo Tse, Jack Tan and Cai Jie have been cast in key roles. A producer...

Acclaimed Indonesian actor Reza Rahadian steps behind the camera for “Pangku” (On Your Lap), an intimate drama set against the backdrop of Indonesia’s 1998 economic crisis.

The project is selected for the Hong Kong — Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf), the project market that operates concurrently with Hong Kong FilMart.

The film follows Sartika, a pregnant young woman who leaves her city seeking a better future for her child. After relocating to Pantura (Java’s North Coast region), she meets Maya, a coffee shop owner who initially offers help but later manipulates her into working as a “Kopi Pangku” waitress – a tradition where women sit on men’s laps as they drink coffee. Sartika’s life takes a turn when she meets Hadi, a fish distributor truck driver, and falls in love.

“‘Pangku’ is a deeply personal and intimate portrayal of a mother’s resilience, inspired by my own mother’s unwavering strength,...

Since Valentine’s season is upon us, we’ve got a smorgasbord of romance movies from all across the world thanks to Netflix and other Ott platforms. So, I got a chance to watch the Indonesian romance movie The Most Beautiful Girl In The World. The movie tells the story of a typical rich playboy and his quest for love after his father passes away unexpectedly and leaves his inheritance to his son, only if he marries “The Most Beautiful Girl In The World.” Now, I know the title of the film makes you think that this is some sort of terrible movie that pits girls against each other, but it’s not. In fact, it’s a movie that is very self-aware and definitely hopes to appease a proud female crowd. It’s a movie about a strong, independent woman with a hunger for achieving her dream. But in...

Netflix’s latest Indonesian original film, “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World,” premiered today, offering viewers a fresh take on the romantic comedy genre. Directed by Robert Ronny, the film stars Reza Rahadian and Sheila Dara Aisha in a story that blends humor, romance, and social commentary.

The 122-minute feature follows Reuben (Rahadian), a carefree playboy set to inherit his father’s media empire. To claim his inheritance, Reuben must fulfill an unusual last wish: produce a dating show to find and marry the most beautiful girl in the world. This premise sets the stage for a narrative that explores themes of love, self-discovery, and the portrayal of women in mass media.

Kiara (Aisha), an ambitious producer working on Reuben’s show, finds herself at odds with her boss’s notorious reputation for fleeting relationships. Their professional dynamic takes an unexpected turn when the pair become stranded on a remote island,...

Hong Kong International Film Festival Society’s (Hkiff)’s Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf) has announced a slate of 15 work-in-progress features, showcasing a mix of established auteurs and emerging talent from across Asia.

The projects will be presented at the expanded Hkiff Industry Project Market, running March 17-19 alongside Hong Kong’s FilMart. They join a slate of previously announced 25 in-development projects.

Leading the pack are new works from acclaimed filmmakers, including Golden Horse winner Huang Ji’s “A Woman Builds,” co-directed with Otsuka Ryuji, which explores a Chinese woman’s quest to build a house while separated from her Japanese family during Covid-19. Qiu Jiongjiong, whose “A New Old Play” nabbed Locarno’s Special Jury Prize, returns with “Fuxi: Joy in Four Chapters,” a dark comedy about Sichuan cuisine featuring “Stranger Eyes” star Lee Kang-sheng.

Other notable projects include Chong Keat Aun’s “Mother Bhumi,” headlined by Chinese superstar Fan Bingbing,...

Upcoming projects from award-winning directors Huang Ji, Qiu Jiongjiong, and Chong Keat Aun are among the 15 works-in-progress (Wip) titles selected for the 23rd Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF23).

The upcoming features will be showcased during the Hkiff Industry Project Market, set to take place from March 17-19 at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre during the 29th Hong Kong Filmart.

After winning best film at the 60th Golden Horse Awards for Stonewalling, Huang Ji and her regular collaborator Ryuji Otsuka will present A Woman Builds, about a Chinese woman who commits herself to building a house in her hometown while living a pseudo-single life,...

New projects from Golden Horse Award winner Huang Ji, Indonesian actor-turned-director Reza Rahadian and US-Philippines actor and director Isabel Sandoval are among the 15 Works-in-Progress selected for this year’s Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf).

A Woman Builds is the latest feature from Huang Ji and her regular collaborator, Otsuka Ryuji, after winning best film at the Golden Horse Awards for Stonewalling. The new film follows a Chinese woman who builds a house in her hometown while living a pseudo-single life during the pandemic.

Rahadian’s directorial debut Pangku, starring Christine Hakim, explores a tradition in a rural part of Indonesia in which coffee shops provide women to sit in men’s laps whilst drinking their coffee.

Sandoval both stars in and directs Moonglow, a neo-noir about an ex-cop assigned with her ex-lover to investigate a break-in at the mansion of a corrupt police chief. Arjo Atayde also stars.

Celebrating its tenth anniversary, Indonesian streamer Vidio will release 14 titles this year, including its first-ever adaptation of a Korean IP.

The 14 titles for this year also include new installments of four popular series: Scandal 3, Santri Pilihan Bunda 2, Open Bo 3 and Pertaruhan The Series 3.

Vidio will premiere action series Bad Guys this year, based on the 2014 Korean original series of the same title, created by Park Ji-Young and Kim Cheol-Yeon. The Indonesian adaptation will star Oka Antara, Dwi Sasono, Randy Pangalilla, Omara Esteghlal and Maudy Effrosina in a production by Base Entertainment in collaboration with Cj Enm Hong Kong.

The 10-episode series will follow police officer Jaka, who teams up with three prisoners to solve a serial murder case in his city. As they get closer to the truth, they uncover more corruption within the government and justice system.

Starring Naura Ayu, Fadi Alaydrus, Teuku Rassya and Yoriko Angeline, a sequel...

Picture: Netflix Originals coming to Netflix on Valentine’s Day 2025.

Love is in the air on Netflix this Valentine’s Day. With a brand-new season of Love Is Blind to look forward to, Netflix is also adding plenty of romantic movies and TV shows for the most romantic day of the year. Let’s dive into everything coming to Netflix for Valentine’s Day.

You can also search for all the romantic titles on Netflix by using the available sub-categories, and Netflix has also released brand new categories for 2025 (as first reported by Collider):

Category Name Category Code Classic Romantic Dramas 30267 Date Night 81398312 Emotional Films 4136 First-Love Dramas 18988 Human Connections 81271205 LGBTQ Stories 100010 Love is in the Air 81576602 Romantic Bollywood Movies 11310 Romantic Christmas Movies 1394527 Romantic Comedies 5475 Romantic Dramas 1255 Romantic Favorites 502675 Romantic Films 8883 Romantic Korean TV Comedies 1461331 Romantic TV Programmes 26156 Steamy Movies 11781 Steamy Romantic Movies 35800 Swipe Right 81582488 Valentine’s Day Movies 50117 Love Is Blind...

Netflix has revealed its slate of original series and films from Thailand and Indonesia set to premiere throughout 2025, as the streaming service continues to invest in Southeast Asian content at a time when “the competition is pulling back,” according to Minyoung Kim, VP of Netflix Content.

The Thai slate features nine titles, following what Kim describes as “eight groundbreaking local productions that captivated audiences across Thailand and beyond” in 2024. The Thai lineup kicks off with “Dalah: Death and the Flowers” on Feb. 27, a high-society murder mystery starring Urassaya Sperbund. The series, helmed by directors Thanika Jenjesda and Alisa Pien, follows a mysterious floral designer who becomes entangled in the suspicious murder of a prime minister candidate on the eve of his wedding, with executive producer Prabda Yoon overseeing the production.

Genre offerings feature prominently in the Thai slate, including “Ziam,” a zombie action thriller directed by Kulp Kaljareuk, starring Prin Suparat...

Continuing its run of slate launches globally, Netflix unveiled new Indonesian originals premiering on its platform this year.

The streamer is working on its first collaboration with director and comedian Ernest Prakasa, titled The Actor (Lupa Daratan). The comedy-drama film is about an egocentric actor who is on the cusp of landing the lead role in a prestige biopic, but suddenly finds himself stripped of his acting abilities. The film stars Vino G. Bastian, Agus Kuncoro and Dea Panendra.

Netflix will also launch its first zombie film from Indonesia, The Elixir, from accomplished horror director Kimo Stamboel. Previously announced with the working title of Abadi Nan Jaya, the film tells the story of a potion that ends up triggering a zombie outbreak due to the ambition of a herbal medicine company’s owner. The Elixir stars Donny Damara, Mikha Tambayong, Eva Celia, Dimas Anggara, Kiki Narendra and Marthino Lio.

The...

Based on the eponymous novel by Ika Natassa, “about three men who deceived Ava’s (the main protagonist’s) past, present and future,” Anga Dwimas Sasongko’s melodrama is a type of Netflix content that draws a lot of viewers by its pathos and exaggerated emotions in service of a plot that successful soap operas have operated on since the invention of cinematic fast food: love, deception, new hope, and happy end. Its formula would work even better if this simple tale of one woman’s revenge with a droplet of blood and no body count were linear, and not chopped, steered, and served to the audience in an incomprehensible order.

Follow our tribute to Netflix by clicking on the image below

Set against the backdrop of the Indonesian entertainment industry, the film concentrates on the young movie star Ava Alessandra (Laura Basuki) whose childhood trauma still occasionally causes mental blockades that disturb her work.

With Indonesia’s first film market taking place during Jaff, the enthusiasm for the festival was even bigger, in a way that is actually quite contagious, particularly since the overwhelming majority of the audience were in their 20s, with their attitude giving the whole thing a party essence that was quite appealing. The program was also interesting, with the local films taking a rather large part of the program, allowing for new discoveries in an industry that is dominated by horror movies, but actually produces a number of other genres. Also of interest is the fact that the local productions seem to move more towards mainstream paths, something that also dictates the festival’s program, in contrast to European film festivals who usually pick the arthouse path.

Without further ado, take a look at our coverage of Jaff

Film Review: A Brother and 7 Siblings (2024) by Yandy Laurens

Dimas Bagus Triatma...

Jaff Market, the first and largest film market in Indonesia, officially concluded its event today at Jogja Expo Center. The closing ceremony featured an exciting announcement from Miles Films, revealing that their latest project, Rangga & Cinta, will begin production with support from Barunson E&a and Imajinari, as a result of the network at Jaff Market. The event opened with performances by Smkn 2 Kasihan Bantul and Smm Yogyakarta, who sang two theme songs from Ada APA Dengan Cinta?.

Over its three-day run, Jaff Market 2024 attracted 6,723 attendees from 18 different countries, offering them a firsthand experience of Indonesia’s vibrant film market atmosphere. The event also recorded remarkable achievements, including: 151 booths set up, 1,767 meetings conducted, 61 MOUs signed, attendance of 164 journalists from various countries, distribution of 1,054 market badges. These accomplishments not only highlight a milestone for Indonesia’s film industry but also mark a significant achievement for the country on the international stage.

Another...

Ho Yuhang’s “The Silent Village” (Aman/Damai) emerged as the top winner at Indonesia’s inaugural Jaff Market, scoring both the Kongchak and Bsm awards as the market wrapped its 2024 edition Thursday in Yogyakarta (Jogja).

The market took place alongside the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival (Jaff) from Dec. 3-5. “The Silent Village,” a Malaysia-Indonesia co-production written by Prima Rusdi, and produced by Lorna Tee via Malaysia’s Paperheart, led the project market’s selection of 10 features.

Actor-turned-director Reza Rahadian also secured backing for his project “Love Unwanted” (Pangku) produced by Gambar Gerak Film, taking home the White Light Post-Production Award. The other Bsm award went to documentary “Sampai Mati” (Until Death), helmed by Australian director Ben Golotta and produced by Morgan Wright.

Miles Films revealed plans to commence production on “Rangga & Cinta,” the third part of the blockbuster drama-romance franchise that began with 2002’s “What’s Up With Love?...

The inaugural Jaff Market from Indonesia has unveiled 10 feature projects for its Jaff Future Project (Jfp), a new project market held in collaboration with Australia’s Adelaide Film Festival (Aff) and set to take place from December 3-5 during the Jogja Netpac Asian Film Festival (Jaff) in Indonesia.

Seven of the projects are from Indonesia, including drama All Things Real And Unreal by Paul Agusta and animation Kancil by Adriano Rudiman, with one from Malaysia (crime thriller The Silent Village by Ho Yuhang) and two from Australia (horror drama Raesita Grey by Katrina Irawati Graham and documentary Until Death by Ben Golotta).

Yulia Evina Bhara,...

Indonesia’s Jaff Market is set to welcome two Australian projects at its Jaff Future Project platform, marking a collaboration with Adelaide Film Festival (Aff). The inaugural Jaff Market takes place alongside the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival (Jaff) in Yogyakarta from Dec. 3-5.

The partnership, backed by the Australian Government, brings “Raesita Grey” from Katrina Irawati Graham and “Until Death” from Ben Golotta to the lineup. Aff will support two core team members, including producers, from each project to attend.

The initiative extends Aff’s existing relationship with Jaff and brings mylab, an international development initiative with participants from across Asia, on board as a new collaborator. “The Aff and Jogja Netpac Asian Film Festival Exchange has been an incredibly satisfying experience,” said Mat Kesting, Aff’s CEO and creative director.

Jaff Market chair Ifa Isfansyah and mylab Curator Lorna Tee expressed confidence in fostering “more fruitful connections and vibrant exchanges” between Indonesian,...

As we have mentioned before, one of the most appealing ‘innovations’ the horror genre has seen during the last decades is its connection with intense sociopolitical commentary. Joko Anwar, in a film that was inspired by his own homonymous short of 2012 (an omnibus where Noboru Iguchi and Erik Matti are also mentioned as directors), achieves just that, to the highest degree. Let us take things from the beginning though.

Click on the image below to follow our Tribute to Netflix

Sita and Adil are two adolescent siblings who live and work with their parents, who operate a family bakery. Although they face intense competition from the Western franchises that have landed in Indonesia, the family continues to make a living and are in general quite happy. One day though, both of the parents are killed in a suicide bombing, with the assailant being driven to his deed by the concept of grave torture,...

Korea’s Showbox has unveiled a trailer and a release date for horror mystery “Devils Stay.”

Directed by Hyun Moon-seop (“Nightmare Teacher”), the cast includes Park Shin-yang, Lee Min-ki and Lee Re.

“When Seung-do (Park Shin-yang), a heart specialist, and his wife find their daughter So-mi (Lee Re) showing strange symptoms by the day, they decide to attempt an exorcism ritual. Upon arrival, priest Ban (Lee Min-ki) is sure there is the devil inside her, and the ritual seems to drive it out successfully, but ends in So-mi’s sudden death. As her funeral begins, Seung-do, who notices some strange signs in So-mi’s body, confronts his conviction that she may not be dead yet, and her heart is still beating. No one believes him, especially priest Ban, who strongly opposes him saying that it is by the menacing spirit inside her. During three days of So-mi’s funeral, they...

South Korea’s Showbox has boarded a Korean remake of Chinese romantic drama Us And Them and upcoming crime drama The Verdict.

Buyers will be introduced to both upcoming projects at the Asian Contents & Film Market, which is taking place in Busan from October 5-8.

The Korean remake, which also has the working title of Us And Them, is an adaptation of the 2018 romantic drama directed by Taiwan’s Rene Liu, which proved a box office hit in China and was saw worldwide rights acquired by Netflix.

Relocated to Seoul, the story centres on a couple who fall in love and eventually part ways.

The Halloween season is most definitely in full swing, with a whopping Ten brand new horror movies released this week across theaters, streamers including Netflix, and VOD outlets.

Here’s all the new horror that released September 16 – September 22, 2024!

For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.

The latest movie from Indonesian master of horror Joko Anwar (Satan’s Slaves, Impetigore, Nightmares & Daydreams), Grave Torture is now streaming on Netflix.

In Joko Anwar’s Grave Torture, “When a violent act kills her parents, Sita vows to debunk the idea of supernatural torment after death — a fixation that leads her on a dark quest.”

Here’s the full plot synopsis from the film’s Wikipedia page: “After both of her parents became victims of suicide bombings, Sita became distrustful of religion. Since then, Sita’s goal in life has been only one: to find the most sinful person and when that person dies,...

Grave Torture is a brand-new Indonesian Netflix Original that is a psychological horror film that explores the themes of death, sin, the afterlife, radicalism, mental health, and abuse. All of these aspects are found in the stories of the characters of the film, which is extensively covered by the writer and director Joko Anwar.

Sita

Faradina Mufti and Widuri Puteri, both actors, portray the roles of older and younger Sita, respectively, in Grave Torture. Sita was the one who was most deeply affected by the death of her parents, as she witnessed them being killed by a suicide bomber. The young girl is disturbed to learn of grave torture, the reason behind the suicide bomber’s radicalization. Sita never processed the pain of losing her parents, and quickly jumped into debunking grave torture theories. As she refuses to get radicalized in the Islamic boarding school, she finds a way out...

Netflix has a tendency to release international horror films with no fanfare and often without even a trailer to promote them, but have no fear because we’re always paying attention.

On that note, the latest movie from Indonesian master of horror Joko Anwar, Grave Torture is now streaming on Netflix!

In Joko Anwar’s Grave Torture, “When a violent act kills her parents, Sita vows to debunk the idea of supernatural torment after death — a fixation that leads her on a dark quest.”

Here’s the full plot synopsis from the film’s Wikipedia page: “After both of her parents became victims of suicide bombings, Sita became distrustful of religion. Since then, Sita’s goal in life has been only one: to find the most sinful person and when that person dies, Sita wants to go into his grave to prove that the torment of the grave does not...

“24 Hours with Gaspar” is a new crime drama feature, directed by Yosep Anggi Noen, based on the 2017 novel by Sabda Armandio, starring Reza Rahadian, streaming March 14, 2024 on Netflix:

“…a detective investigates the mysterious disappearance of his childhood friend in his last twenty four hours of life…”

Cast includes Ali Fikry, Shenina Cinnamon, Laura Basuki, Kristo Immanuel, Sal Priadi, Dewi Irawan, Iswadi Pratama and Shofia Shireen.

Click the images to enlarge…...

Presenting a total of 269 films, including 80 world premieres, the 28th edition of the Busan International Film Festival concluded earlier this month, closing out with Andy Lau’s comedy The Movie Emperor. In addition to screenings, the festival hosted talks and master classes, with over 250 guests participating, notably Chow Yun Fat, Luc Besson, Fan Bingbing, Hirokazu Kore-eda, and Ryusuke Hamaguchi. Over 40 countries and more than 900 companies took part in the festival’s adjoining Asian Contents & Film Market section, while special programs addressed the Korean Diaspora and the Renaissance of Indonesian Cinema.

Along with international favorites like Poor Things, The Beast, and Anatomy of a Fall, Biff offered films from Korea, mainland China, Japan, and Southeast Asia, spotlighting emerging filmmakers like Iqbal H. Chowdhury, Chia Chee Sum (Oasis of Now), and Mirlan Abdykalykov (Jiseok award-winner Bride Kidnapping).

Here are five standouts from the crowded schedule:

Work to Do (Park Hong-jun)

With Work to Do,...

Exclusive: Indonesian actor Reza Rahadian and director Yosep Anggi Noen are attending Busan International Film Festival with their dystopian crime drama 24 Hours With Gaspar, which is receiving its world premiere in the festival’s Jiseok competition.

An adaptation of Sabda Armandio’s 2017 novel of the same name, the fast-paced thriller is the biggest budget film that Noen, an award-winning arthouse filmmaker, has ever made and marks the first time he’s worked with Rahadian and Laura Basuki, who are both big stars in Indonesia. Upcoming actress Shenina Cinnamon also stars in the film.

Noen says he was approached to direct the project by Angga Dwimas Sasongko, founder of Indonesia’s Visinema Pictures and immediately agreed because he liked the book. “It’s a story about loss, because the main character is coming to terms with losing his friend, but it’s also a visualization of a dystopian Indonesia which we’ve rarely seen,...

Locarno and Busan favorite Yosep Anggi Noen returns to the latter this year with a truly different style from him, which combines elements of crime, action, martials arts, and mystery, in a package that also includes some of the most popular actors in Indonesia at the moment.

24 Hours with Gaspar is screening at Busan International Film Festival

The script is based on the homonymous novel by Sabda Armandio, and takes place in 2032, an era, though, that does not seem that much different than today, particularly since the rich continue to pray on the poor. Gaspar is a detective with unusual methods, who has garnered, though, the sympathy and occasionally even awe of the locals for his abilities. During one of his investigations, regarding a mass slaughter case involving the government, he stumbles upon an informant that gives him hints about his childhood friend Kirana. Everything points towards Wan Ali, a...

South East Asia is not the region you'd typically come to looking for science fiction thrills, but Indonesian director Yosep Anggi Noen looks to change all that with his fast-paced, dystopian detective thriller 24 Hours with Gaspar, which premiered tonight at the Busan International Film Festival.   Reza Rahadian plays the eponymous Gaspar, a motorbike-riding private detective in a near-future Indonesia. After gaining some notoriety for blowing the lid off a mass slaughter that implicated a number of high-ranking government officials, Gaspar mind have inadvertently unearthed a clue that will help him find his childhood sweetheart, Kirana (Shofia Shireen).    Unfortunately for Gaspar, he suffers from a rare heart condition that has forced him to have an artificial...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Sri Asih: The Warrior is a socially conscious Indonesian action film that combines mythology, Mma, and superhero tropes to deliver a mostly engaging and empowering story. The film features slick fight sequences and intriguing twists, although some aspects of the story feel stuffed and it drags a bit after the midway point. Sri Asih has a strong buildup and well-executed action sequences, but it suffers from an overlong runtime, lack of depth in the big villain twist, and an overly serious tone. Nonetheless, it offers a unique mix of Mma and mythology in the superhero genre.

Superhero movies have become the norm in Hollywood, but rarely do we get to see something a bit different when it comes to origin stories. That’s where Sri Asih: The Warrior comes in. Directed by Upi from a screenplay co-written alongside Joko Anwar, the socially conscious Indonesian action film combines mythology, Mma, and...

A first trailer has been unveiled for Indonesian filmmaker Yosep Anggi Noen’s “24 Hours With Gaspar.”

The film world premieres at the Busan International Film Festival where it is in the prestigious Jiseok competition. Set in 2032 and based on the novel of the same name by Indonesian author Sabda Armandio, the film follows Gaspar, a private detective with 24 hours to live, who finds clues about the mysterious disappearance of Kirana, his childhood friend. The clues lead to a human trafficking syndicate.

“24 Hours With Gaspar” features a stellar Indonesian cast including Reza Rahadian, Shenina Cinnamon (“Dear David”), Laura Basuki (“Before Now And Then”), Kristo Imanuell (“Big Four”), Sal Priadi, Dewi Irawan (“Anwar: The Untold Story”) and Iswadi Pratama.

The film is a collaboration between KawanKawan Media, Visinema and Legacy Pictures and produced by Yulia Evina Bhara for KawanKawan Media and Cristian Imanuell for Visinema Pictures.

Noen and KawanKawan previously...

A new report into content consumption patterns by premium video users in ten Asia-Pacific countries shows that content from Asia accounts for 75 of viewership. Local and regional programming is key to attracting and retaining subscribers to premium streaming platforms.

The study, “The Rise of Asian Content” produced by Media Partners Asia and its Ampd sub-unit, leans on passively collected data from January-to mid-December 2022, from 40,000 video users in Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Australia.

The top reaching categories in 2022 in terms of monthly reach were Korean dramas and romance; Japanese anime; U.S. science fiction and fantasy; Korean crime and thriller; U.S. crime and thriller; and U.S. comedy.

Korean dramas garnered 30 of total measured premium online video viewership in 2022. Four of the top 15 Korean dramas of 2022 were Netflix originals. All other top titles were also distributed on Netflix, though shared with networks and streamers in Korea.

Further winners include ‘Gaspar’ from Indonesia and ‘Sima’s Song’ from Afghan director Roya Sadat.

Myanmar project Future Laobans, directed by Maung Sun and produced by jailed filmmaker Ma Aeint, won the Busan Award at the Asian Project Market today (October 11).

The project picked up the 15,000 cash prize in Busan. Currently in script development, Future Laobans is about three young scavengers in Myanmar who smuggle a jade stone across the border with dreams of becoming millionaires.

Filmmaker Ma Aeint was jailed in Myanmar in April on charges of anti-junta activity and is serving a three-year sentence. She was mentioned as...

Prolific Indonesian producer KawanKawan Media, which has Makbul Mubarak’s “Autobiography” in competition at the Venice Film Festival’s Horizons strand, has a raft of projects on its slate.

The company, led by Yulia Evina Bhara, scored a hat trick of wins at Locarno over the last few years with Yosep Anggi Noen’s “The Science of Fictions” (2019), Carlo Francisco Manatad’s “Whether the Weather Is Fine” (2021) and Ming Jin Woo’s “Stone Turtle” (2022), and won an award at Cph:dox for Fanny Chotimah’s documentary “You and I” in 2020.

Noen’s “Gaspar,” which is set in the Javanese city Semarang in 2032 and is an adaptation of Sabda Armandio’s novel “24 Hours of Gaspar,” has just wrapped production. It stars Reza Rahadian, Shenina Cinnamon, Laura Basuki, Sal Priadi, Kristo Immanuel and Dewi Irawan.

Gaspar (Rahadian) is a dilettante detective working on a mass slaughter case involving the government, in which he...

Djenar Maesa Ayu (born 14 January 1973) is an Indonesian novelist, short story writer, actress, screenwriter, and filmmaker. Her work has variously been described as “provocative and lurid”, and unique and brave. The daughter of film director Sjumandjaja and actress Tuti Kirana, she began writing while studying at elementary school. After graduation, Ayu worked as a television presenter for a short time before beginning to write professionally. Djenar has published six anthologies of short stories and a novel. Her short story, ‘Suckling Father’ became The Best Short Story of Jurnal Perempuan 2003, while ‘Nayla’s Time’ won the award of Kompas Best Short Story in the same year. She debuted as an actress in 2006 with “The Lost Briefcase”, and since then, she has cooperated with Joko Anwar, Cornelio Sunny and Edwin, among others and has won an award for Best Supporting Actress at Festival Film Bandung 2017. Djenar directed her first film ‘They Say,...

The concept of manipulating reality has been repeatedly implemented in thriller/horror films, some times following supernatural paths and sometimes psychological/realistic ones. Djenar Maesa Ayu implements the latter approach in a rather interesting effort.

Tris is screening at Osaka Asian Film Festival

The movie unfolds in two axes. The first one has the protagonist, Tristan, talking to a psychologist who is only heard but never shown, about his memory issues, and how the things he constantly forgets have made him fell useless, both towards himself and to his family, particularly after his father died, leaving him and his brother Dio, to take care of their mother. The second axis has him in the house he shares with his brother, with the latter constantly pinning him down for forgetting things, an attitude that has also convinced his mother that he is useless. Something is amiss however.

This last part, of something not being right here,...

Festival regular Edwin delivers a withering critique of masculinity with the enjoyably gritty if over-obvious “Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash.” Usually when films deal with impotence, they tend to be coy or jokey, but there’s no beating around the bush here: Erectile dysfunction is the theme, with all the implications of disempowerment and emasculation the issue implies.

As metaphor, impotence is used to make a broader critique of a toxic culture that puts so much emphasis on virility, but that just gives the filmmaker license to make garish use of plot-heavy twists and turns boasting plenty of decently choreographed fight sequences that must have immediately appealed to Fatih Akin, whose Bombero Int’l came onboard as co-producer. Given the level of stylized violence together with playful genre elements as well as a topic sure to get a rise out of viewers, it’s not hard to imagine festival audiences having fun.

Faozal Rizal has made a name for himself in Indonesian cinema as a cinematographer, in productions like “Salawaku” and “Kartini”. Occasionally though, he also sits in the director’s chair, with his latest endeavor being “Abracadabra”, a film that seems to follow the style of Wes Anderson, although through a distinct Indonesian flavor that also entails much surrealism.

Abracadabra is screening at New York Asian Film Festival

The film follows the story of Lukman, a magician, and of a magic wooden box that another, older magician, Barnas, has convinced the local police chief to confiscate. During one of Lukman’s shows, that the two men also attend, he asks a young boy to get into the aforementioned box to make him disappear. The trick is successful, but Lukman finds himself unable to bring the boy back, as he is nowhere to be found. The police chief sees the event as...

Jaff 14 ‘Revival’ is officially started on November 19th, 2019 at Empire Xxi Yogyakarta. “Abracadabra” (2019), a feature film directed by Faozan Rizal, became the official opening film. The event started at 6 Pm, accompanied by 18 groups of Bergada (The Yogyakarta Palace’s army) who lead the guests from Horison Hotel to Empire Xxi Yogyakarta.

Around 1.454 audience came to the opening festival ceremony. The opening began with a speech from Yogyakarta’s Department of Culture (Disbud) delegation, Aris Eko Nugroho, S.P., M.Si. He presented that Yogyakarta’s Disbud has been collaborating with Jaff since 2014. “Through the development of film and the birth of film schools in Yogyakarta, we hope that there will be more collaborations in developing art, especially films,” he said.

Having the same vision with Yogyakarta’s Disbud, the Directorate General of Information and Public Diplomacy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DJ Idp Ministry of Foreign Affairs) also presented its support...

Singapore-based Aurora Media and Darpan Global have picked up producing options for Indian author Dhruv Bhatt's best-seller Timirpanthi (Pilgrims in the Dark) and its screenplay by Jay Bhatt.

Aurora Media is one of Southeast Asia’s leading media and entertainment asset incubation, investment and management entities. The company's slate includes Storm Boy headlined by Geoffrey Rush and Jai Courtney, Indonesian title Abracadabra with Reza Rahadian, Stano starring Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello, Irfan Khan-starrer The Song of Scorpions and The Long Walk, directed by Mattie Do.

Darpan is a leading distributor and producer of art house, independent and Bollywood titles in Southeast ...

Singapore-based Aurora Media and Darpan Global have picked up producing options for Indian author Dhruv Bhatt's best-seller Timirpanthi (Pilgrims in the Dark) and its screenplay by Jay Bhatt.

Aurora Media is one of Southeast Asia’s leading media and entertainment asset incubation, investment and management entities. The company's slate includes Storm Boy headlined by Geoffrey Rush and Jai Courtney, Indonesian title Abracadabra with Reza Rahadian, Stano starring Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello, Irfan Khan-starrer The Song of Scorpions and The Long Walk, directed by Mattie Do.

Darpan is a leading distributor and producer of art house, independent and Bollywood titles in Southeast ...

Singapore firms, Aurora Media and Darpan Global have teamed to set up best-selling Indian novel “Pilgrims in the Dark” (“Timirpanthi”) as a feature film. The companies previously optioned film rights to the Gujurati-language novel by Dhruv Bhatt.

Award-winning playwright and director Dakxin Bajrange is now attached to direct the thriller from a screenplay written by Jay Bhatt (no relation). Casting is under way, ahead of an anticipated shoot from the third quarter of next year.

With a strong female protagonist, the highly researched-story details how certain tribes viewed stealing not as a crime but as a transcendental and inherited art form. It also delves into tribal youths’ struggle to enter mainstream society.

It is anticipated that the film will be structured as a Singapore-India co-production, involving Aurora, Darpan and the director’s company Nomad Pictures. Additionally, the producers aim to bring on board an Indian studio, which would handle Indian deals,...

Singapore-based Aurora Media Holdings, one of Southeast Asia’s leading media companies, has optioned and boarded India-South Korean co-production “The Yellow Jade” as a producer, alongside India’s Stray Factory and India/Singapore outfit Magic Hour Films. The deal was struck at Busan’s Asian Project Market. Aurora group managing partner Justin Deimen, pictured above, will produce with Stray Factory’s Mathivanan Rajendran and Magic Hour’s Samir Sarkar. Vijay Jayapal (“Revelations”) will direct. The companies are meeting potential Korean co-producers at the market.

Aurora has also completed the funding that Stray Factory, Magic Hour, Uncombed Buddha, Stop Whinging and Harman Ventures sought for Jayapal’s “Nirvana Inn” at the Asian Project Market.

“The Yellow Jade” cuts between the past and the present. In the past, Korean King Suro dreamed that the heavens would choose his bride. A South Indian princess sailed across the seas in a red vessel, and...

The review was made based on the four first episodes of the series.

As HBO Asia has decided, during the latest years, to create original shows using filmmakers from S and Se Asia, Joko Anwar seemed liked one of the most logical choices, particularly since “Halfworlds” falls under the supernatural horror category, where the Indonesian thrives. Let us see the result of this cooperation though.

As explained quite eloquently in the introductory animation, a tribe of bloodthirsty creatures called Demit have been living in Jakarta, alongside humans, for centuries. Their presence has been kept a secret with the help of powerful family of mortals, but as a supernatural event known as the Gift is about to arrive, this secret does not seem safe at all. At the same time, a young street painter named Sarah finds herself caught between a war that seems unavoidable, even affecting her boyfriend Coki and a friend named Pinung.