The 20th Opera Jawa” and close with Aco Tenriyagelli’s feature directorial debut “Comedy Buddy” in Yogyakarta.
This edition marks a milestone for the festival, which was first held in 2006. Carrying the theme Transfiguration, JAFF20 highlights the festival’s two-decade journey and the transformation of Indonesian and Asian cinema during that period.
The opening film, originally premiered at JAFF’s inaugural edition in 2006, will be screened in its original 35mm celluloid format at a ceremonial program at Universitas Gadjah Mada’s Gelanggang Inovasi dan Kreativitas. “Comedy Buddy” is produced by Bion Studios and Spasi Moving Image.
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JAFF20 will present 227 films from 43 countries across competitive and non-competitive programs. Eleven feature films will compete in the main competition for the Golden and Silver Hanoman Awards: “A Useful Ghost” by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke, winner of the Grand Prix at the 2025 Cannes Critics’ Week; “Amoeba” by Siyou Tan; “Becoming Human” by Polen Ly; “Flames” by Ravi Shankar Kaushik; “Girl” by Shu Qi, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival; “Hair, Paper, Water” by Nicolas Graux and Trương Minh Quý; “Lost Land” by Akio Fujimoto; “On Your Lap (Pangku)” by Reza Rahadian, winner of four awards at Busan; “Summer’s Camera” by Sung Divine; “Sunshine” by Antoinette Jadaone; and Pingyao winner “The World of Love” by Yoon Ga-eun.
The Indonesian Screen Awards will feature 13 Indonesian films competing across nine categories, with four new categories added this year: Best Production Design, Best Sound, Best Original Music and Best Poster Design.
Competing titles include “A Thousand Shades of Purnama” (Seribu Bayang Purnama) by Yahdi Jamhur; “Agak Laen: Menyala Pantiku!” by Muhadkly Acho; “Better Off Dead” (Tinggal Meninggal) by Kristo Immanuel; “Dancing with the Body” (Lenggak-Lenggok) by Andi Imam Prakasa; “Dopamine” (Dopamin) by Teddy Soeriaatmadja; “Ikatan Darah” by Sidharta Tata; “Mothernet” by Ho Wi Ding; “Rangga & Cinta” by Riri Riza; “Smothered” (Legenda Kelam Malin Kundang) by Rafki Hidayat and Kevin Nugroho; Indonesia’s Oscar entry “Sore: A Wife from the Future” by Yandy Laurens; “The Period of Her” by Erlina Rakhmawati, Praditha Blifa, Sarah Adilah and Yulinda Dwi Andriyani; “The Tiger” by Ardiansah Sulistiana; and “Worn Out” (Judheg) by Misya Latief. “Ikatan Darah” and “Mothernet” will have their Indonesian premieres at JAFF20.
Non-competition programs include 22 feature films and 27 short films in Asian Perspectives, and nine Indonesian features in the Indonesian Film Showcase, including “Lost in the Spotlight” (Lupa Daratan), which marks Ernest Prakasa’s return to the director’s chair.
The Panorama program will feature works by acclaimed Asian directors, including “It Was Just An Accident” by Jafar Panahi, winner of the Palme d’Or at Cannes 2025, and “Two Seasons, Two Strangers” by Miyake Sho, winner of the Golden Leopard at the Locarno Film Festival 2025.
“Indonesian cinema continues to show significant growth. In just the first quarter of 2025, cinemas recorded 35 million admissions, or around 44% of the total audience in 2024,” said Ifa Isfansyah, JAFF festival director. “A remarkable milestone this year was the animated feature ‘Jumbo,’ which broke records by surpassing 10 million viewers. Indonesian films have also premiered at major international festivals and brought home prestigious awards.”
The festival continues its partnership with Cinema XXI as the main screening venue.
JAFF20 will continue collaborations with longtime partners including the Asian Film Academy and Netflix. Under the Asian Film Academy collaboration, JAFF will bring director Ann Hui for a masterclass and screen two of her seminal works, “A Simple Life” (2011) and “July Rhapsody” (2002), in newly restored 4K versions. The collaboration will also present seven Hong Kong feature films and four short films.
Netflix programs include Reel Life Film Camp, a hands-on workshop for entry-level professionals, and Creative Asia, a forum bringing together creators from across Southeast Asia featuring filmmakers including Kimo Stamboel, Joko Anwar, Erik Matti and Kulp Kaljareuk.
“Last year, we introduced the Sneak Peek program, giving filmmakers a special platform to present early footage of their upcoming releases. This year, Sneak Peek will feature ‘Four Seasons in Java’ by Kamila Andini,” said Alexander Matius, JAFF program director.
JAFF Market returns with six programs: JAFF Future Project, Content Market, Talent Day, Film & Market Conference, Market Screening and Film Lab, held Nov. 29 through Dec. 1 at Jogja Expo Center.
JAFF20 runs Nov. 29 through Dec. 6.
