Indonesian Film Festival NY: Day 2

5:30PM | Shorts Program 2: University of Indonesia Film Festival at IFFestNY

This shorts program presents the best of the 2023 University of Indonesia Film Festival, held last September at the university’s campus in Depok, Indonesia.

“Nyanyian Bisu” (A Mute Ballad)
2023. Drama. 9 minutes. Indonesian language with English subtitles. Directed by Laurent Sindhu. Starring Endang Rumeksa and Raehan Fadillah.

Guntur (Raehan Fadillah) confronts his uncle Rahardja (Endang Rumeksa), accused of involvement in his brother’s execution during the Indonesian mass killings of 1965-66.

“Gadis dan Penatu” (The Girl and the Launderette)
2023. Drama. 18 minutes. Indonesian language with English subtitles. Directed by M. Alam Alghifari. Starring Febrianti Alfi Putri, Ana Zula, and Maychelina Anis.

Santi, (Febriani Alfi Putri), a vocational school graduate, is looking for a job, however, her mom gives Santi plenty of laundry to do, preventing her from going to job interviews.

“Proyeksi”(Projection)
2023. Drama. 19 minutes. Indonesian language with English subtitles. Directed by Firdan Hafidsyah. Starring Muhammad Bagus Ade Saputra, Mawar Loekman, and Dyah Koenti Lestari.

A famous director finds himself in a difficult situation on the set of his latest film, where he has to confront his past and conflicts coming to the surface.

“Facticity”
2023. Drama. 24 minutes. Indonesian language with English subtitles. Directed by Iqbal Keane Kembaren. Starring Yesyta Mayzahra and Yudhi Dalbo.

A photographer (Yudhi Dalbo) meets a girl (Yesyta Mayzahra) by a river. They connect over grief that flows to them like the river next to their conversation.

6:45PM |“ Legacy of Java”
2020. Documentary. Indonesian with English subtitles. Directed by Budi Kurniawan.

The Legacy of Java film takes viewers on a journey through the challenges faced by Javanese coffee in today’s ecological landscape. This work is a blend of literary sources and discussions with a wide range of individuals, from farmers and artists to historians, scientists, baristas, young entrepreneurs, and coffee industry players. The third wave of coffee has brought concepts of sustainability, and a new generation of coffee industry players has emerged. Each of them brings a unique perspective.

8:30PM | “Women from Rote Island” (Perempuan Berkelamin Darah)
2023. Drama. 108 minutes. Bilba language with English subtitles. Directed by Jeremias Nyanggoen. Starring Merlinda Dessy Adoe, Irma Novita Rihi, and Sallum Ratu Ke.

Martha (Irma Novita Rihi) returns from Malaysia to Rote Island to return to her family. She carries with her the trauma from the rape she experienced working as a laborer in a palm oil plantation. This trauma connects a lineage of violence against women in this island. Winner of the Citra Award for Best Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, and Best Original Screenplay at Festival Film Indonesia.

Content warning: rape, sexual violence