140 Films from 55 Countries: Award Winners at Jakarta Film Week 2024

The closing of Jakarta Film Week 2024 took place at CGV Grand Indonesia after five days of events from October 23 to 27, 2024, held at three locations: CGV Grand Indonesia, Taman Ismail Marzuki, and Mercure Hotel Cikini. This festival invited Indonesian filmmakers and celebrated as an international film festival initiated by the DKI Jakarta Tourism and Creative Economy Agency. Jakarta Film Week 2024 has become an annual event for filmmakers and film lovers in Indonesia. Therefore, this closing event was a special moment to award the winners in six categories: Global Feature Award, Direction Award, Global Short, Global Animation, Jakarta Film Fund, and Series of the Year.

After a rigorous selection and judging process, Jakarta Film Week 2024 finally announced the winners in six categories. From hundreds of competing films from around the world, here are the titles that captured the hearts of the jury. The themes of the films showcased at Jakarta Film Week 2024 were very diverse, featuring rich visual styles and narratives. With careful consideration, here are the jury’s winners whose works not only entertain but also inspire.

Global Feature: The film “Memories of a Burning Body” by Antonella Sudassasi Fruniss takes the audience on a deep emotional journey about loss and the search for identity. This film won the Global Feature Award. The jury’s statement for the victory of “Memories of a Burning Body” is as follows: “A film told through real testimonies, giving strength to all women and especially to those who never had the chance to open up before.”

Direction Award: Razka Robby Ertanto succeeded in creating an inspiring film through unique cinematography and a bold approach to social issues in the film “Yohanna.” His victory in the Direction Award category confirms recognition of his creative ideas. The jury stated: “This is a film that impressed the jurors with its direction. Through its beautiful and delicate visuals, we saw artistic value and international appeal with its narrative. The director balanced the main plot, which dealt with important issues, while telling sub-plots in a unique and unconventional way. We were also deeply moved by the performances of the cast, which could only be a product of good chemistry and direction.”

Global Short: With a short duration, the film “An Orphanage of Memories” by Rayit Hashmat presents a touching story about childhood memories. This film proves that a strong story can be conveyed in a short amount of time. Here is the jury’s note for the victory of “An Orphanage of Memories”: “A powerful tale of alterity, revealing the plight of a Muslim widow in Kashmir, featuring stunning photography, mise-en-scène, landscapes, environment, and symbolism.”

Global Animation: “It Shouldn’t Rain Tomorrow” by Maria Trigo Teixeira is not just an animation; this film is a stunning audiovisual work of art. With meaningful storytelling, it successfully touched the hearts of the jury and audiences of all ages.

Jakarta Film Fund: “If You’re Happy, I’m Happy” by Mauliya Malia is a refreshing and hopeful short film. Although light-hearted, it still manages to resonate with the audience. This was also expressed by the jury in their notes: “If You’re Happy, I’m Happy brings family drama that has universal elements with context. It’s complex, but told in simple ways – a heartfelt but unsentimental, universally appealing family drama.”

Series of the Year: The series “Cinta Pertama Ayah” by Harah Daeng Ratu beautifully depicts the relationship between a father and child, successfully winning this category. The series was well-received by both the jury and Indonesian audiences. The jury stated: “This series delivered an edge-of-your-seat experience, complete with unexpected twists till the very end. The story was not only multi-dimensional and genre-blending but also delivered several moral values relevant across multiple age groups for a complete series.”

In addition to announcing the six winning categories, there was a special surprise for the invited guests and audiences on the closing night of Jakarta Film Week 2024: the announcement of Special Mention. The film “Suzzanna: Queen of Black Magic” by David Gregory was declared a special film by the jury. This film not only revives the legend of Suzzanna but also provides deep insights into the history of Indonesian cinema. Special Mention is a form of appreciation from the jury for the hard work of the team in producing a film that communicates its message effectively. The jury stated: “This film could communicate a multitude of feelings, in which editing plays an important role in creating an exciting flow of information.”

Jakarta Film Week 2024 has proven that Indonesian films selected through a curation process have great potential to be recognized on the international stage. With an increasing number of young talents in the Indonesian film industry, it is hoped that this industry will continue to produce quality works that can compete globally.

Nabila Dwiputri | Nanda Hadiyanti