Asian Film Festival: Yogyakarta, Central Java

As many as 20 Asian films will compete in the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival (JAFF) which will be held from July 29 to August 2.

Films directed by young and talented Asian filmmakers will be shown in three places — Taman Budaya Yogyakarta, Benteng Vredeburg and the Indonesia-France Council cinema according to an article in the Jakarta Post.

The JAFF festival was also held in Yogyakarta last year to mark the May 27 earthquake in which 5,700 people died.

“The JAFF organizing committee pledged the second festival in Yogyakarta would be held as a form of moral support for quake victims who are getting back to their lives,” said JAFF president Garin Nugroho.

Garin said this year’s JAFF festival had the theme of Asian Cinema Diaspora, saying the word “diaspora” embodied the latest cultural expressions.

“The new cultural expressions, derived from local and foreign cultures, will be shown through the competing films directed by Asia’s young filmmakers,” said Garin.

“A number of films have applied digital technology which is spreading fast and getting more up-to-date.”