Jakarta Film Fund Becomes Young Indonesian Filmmakers’ Hope and Opportunity for a Spotlight in Cinema

Jakarta Film Fund has become one of Jakarta Film Week’s featured programs, offering golden opportunities for young, rising filmmakers to stand within the film industry. This program does not only provide production funds, but also offers comprehensive professional mentorship, from production management, screenwriting, directing, to the editing process. Thus it gives filmmakers the space and capacity to develop their “wild” ideas into a finished film. 

This year, Jakarta Film Week 2024 screens three films resulting from Jakarta Film Fund, which are: If You’re Happy, I’m Happy directed by Mauliya Maila R, Piknik Bersama Maut directed by Nara Nugroho, and Followers directed by Kevin Rahardjo. 

The first film in the compilation is Followers, which explores the topic of an online influencer’s life that many of today’s youths favor. However, the screen conceals risks which can threaten someone’s private life. The film is fraught with tension, while containing a meaningful message. “It’s very exciting that Followers can be screened at Jakarta Film Week this year. I hope that Jakarta Film Week can actively continue to provide funding as well as mentorship for filmmakers in Indonesia,” says Tsabita Putri, the producer of Followers.

The second film produced with Jakarta Film Fund is If You’re Happy, I’m Happy, fraught with a married couple’s communication crisis that leaves a significant dent on their relationship. This crisis elicits an emotional tension, which becomes a central part of the story. “This film is inspired by the stories of those around me, that I feel could be a lesson for all married couples. Although we went through unexpected stages, I am quite happy with the result,” says Mauliya, the director of said film.

Jakarta Film Fund’s closing film, Piknik Bersama Maut takes on the theme of death and mortality, yet packages it in a unique way, allowing the audience to easily understand it. However, there is an implicit message that strikes deep. “This film was made as a personal reminder to realize what we’ve been searching for in life.” Nara, the director of said film, also adds that they hope Jakarta Film Week will always be able to support people in Indonesia’s film industry. 

These three films have undergone long stages in order to develop an idea into a quality short film that can be enjoyed by a variety of audiences. The filmmakers have succeeded in expanding their basic ideas into short films of high quality. Each film not only has demonstrated strong stories, but also detail-oriented production processes, from the initial planning to the last stage of post-production, all so that the final product will give viewers a lasting cinematic experience. 

“This year, Jakarta Film Week have experienced an improvement in our technical support. With this development, our hope for Jakarta Film Fund extends to having a further outreach, so that films can be screened in more venues,” closes Novi Hanabi, Program Manager of Jakarta Film Week 2024.

For more information about the program and events in Jakarta Film Week 2024, visit www.jakartafilmweek.com and follow us on social media @jakartafilmweek. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to be part of Jakarta’s celebration of international cinema this year!

Asia Khairunnisa Luthan | Nanda Hadiyanti

tr. Fairuza Hanun