Autobio-Pamphlet, directed by India’s Ashish Avinash Bende, has been set as the opening film of this year’s Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival, which will close with the world premiere of Indonesian spy thriller 13 Bombs In Jakarta, directed by Indonesia’s Angga Dwimas Sasongko.
Set in 1990s India, Autobio-Pamphlet is a coming-of-age tale that had its world premiere in the Generation section of this year’s Berlinale. Visinema Pictures’ 13 Bombs In Jakarta (pictured) revolves around a group of terrorists who have planted bombs at strategic locations around the city of Jakarta.
This year’s JAFF, scheduled to take place November 25 to December 2, will screen 205 films from 25 countries across the Asia Pacific region. Major sections include Main Competition, Light Of Asia, Indonesian Screen Awards and Panorama (see full line-up below).
Sasongko, founder of Visinema and director of 13 Bombs In Jakarta, said: “Visinema is proud to support JAFF 2023 from various angles. Four Visinema productions will be screened at JAFF, including 13 Bombs In Jakarta, one of the biggest action films in Indonesia, which will be the closing film of this year’s JAFF.”
Ifa Isfansyah, director of Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival, said: “Asian cinemas are gaining popularity and prominence recently. Now is the time for the Asian film industry to be the light to inspire ourselves. Not only for the cinema, but also for its surroundings, especially our environment, which is what we are doing with this year’s edition of JAFF, to pay more attention to waste issues.”
JAFF Program Director Alexander Matius said: “We would like to present something fresh and different this year. As the opening film for this year’s edition, we choose something light-hearted, which is Autobio-Pamphlet from India. Its coming-of-age story will be perfect to set the festival’s spirited and entertaining mood.”
JAFF 2023 Main Competition:
Abang Adik – Jing Ong (Malaysia)
Dreaming & Dying – Nelson Yeo (Singapore)
Growing Apart – Long Lingyun (China)
Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell – Pham Thien An (Vietnam)
Last Shadow At First Light – Nicole Midori Woodford (Singapore)
Monisme – Riar Rizal (Indonesia)
Oasis Of Now – Chia Chee Sum (Malaysia)
Tiger Stripes – Amanda Nell Eu (Malaysia)
Which Colour? – Shahrukhkhan Chavada (India)
Light Of Asia:
Angles – Yisen Jiang (China)
Basri And Salma In A Never-Ending Comedy – Khozy Rizal (Indonesia)
Chomp It! – Mark Chua & Lam Li Sheun (Malaysia)
Cross My Heart And Hope To Die – Sam Manacsa (Philippines)
Everybody’s Gotta Love Sometimes – Sein Lyan Tun (Myanmar)
First Draft – Nopawat Likitwong (Thailand)
Happy Land – Nour Khair Alanam (Syria)
Hito – Stephen Lopez (Philippines)
Is There A Pine On The Mountain – Chongyan Liu (China)
It Turns Blue – Shadi Karamroudi (Iran)
Luzonensis Osteoporosis – Glenn Barit (Philippines)
A Meat Story – Kholif Mundzir Aldry (Indonesia)
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes – Alvin Lee (Singapore)
The River That Never Ends – J.T. Trinidad (Philippines)
Indonesian Screen Awards:
Ali Topan – Sidharta Tata
Badrun & Laundry – Garin Nugroho
Jatuh Cinta Seperti Di Film-Film – Yandy Launres
Nisan Tak Terukir – Abdul Ghaniy Rosyidin
Tuhan, Izinkan Aku Berdosa – Hanung Bramantyo
Monster – Rako Prijanto
Onde Mande! – Paul Agusta
Sara – Ismail Basbeth
Setan Alas! – Yusron Fuadi
Sleep Call – Fajar Nugros
Women From Rote Island – Jeremias Yangoen
Panorama:
24 Hours With Gaspar – Yosep Anggi Noen (Indonesia)
All Ears – Liu Jiayin (China)
Evil Does Not Exist – Ryusuke Hamaguchi (Japan)
Fremont – Babak Jalali (Usa)
Monster – Hirokazu Kore-Eda (Japan)
Perfect Days – Wim Wenders (Japan)
Ryuichi Sakamoto I Opus – Neo Sora (Japan)
Shayda – Noora Niasari (Australia)
Sweet Dreams – Ena Sendijarević (Netherlands)
Terrestrial Verses – Ali Asgari & Alireza Khatami (Iran)
The Monk And The Gun – Pawo Choyning Dorji (Bhutan)
The Shadowless Tower – Lu Zhang (China)