2023 Country of Focus: The Republic of Indonesia
Show Me Shorts has revealed the country of focus for this year’s short film festival will be the Republic of Indonesia. Thirteen Indonesian short films will feature in the Indonesian Focus, curated in collaboration with Minikino Short Film Week.
The 13 Indonesian short films will screen in two collections:
Indonesian Focus 1: contains seven colourful, cinematic stories with an energetic sense of poetry that reflect current social discourses and issues.
Indonesian Focus 2: Innovation presents six lower budget stories that showcase a creative spirit and style, alongside playful humour.
Three Indonesian guests will visit New Zealand to take part in screenings and events.
A programmer from Minikino Film Week – Bali International Short Film Festival, Fransiska Prihadi, will attend the festival as a member of the awards jury. She will also attend meetings with key industry stakeholders and speak as part of a Festival Programmer Panel as part of Show Me Shorts’ Industry Day on 8 October.
Filmmaker Muhammad Heri Fadli will attend with his short drama Jamal, which will make its New Zealand premiere at Auckland Opening Night on 6 October. The story tells of a woman whose world is rocked when her migrant worker husband is suddenly returned to her in a lifeless condition. Jamal features as part of the Indonesian Focus 1.
Director Amelia Hapsari will present her documentary Acung Memilih Bersuara about an Indonesian man of Chinese descent. This mesmerizing, animated story follows the titular political prisoner Acung explaining the persecution and discrimination he faced. Hapsari will speak about her work at the Filmmaker Talk in Auckland on 8 October as part of Show Me Shorts’ Industry Day.
Show Me Shorts Festival Director Gina Dellabarca says, “Indonesia’s cinema reflects Indonesia itself: a rich melting pot of cultures, languages, and world views. I observe their cinema to contain a frenetic energy that makes for enjoyable cinema experiences. Their filmmakers utilise a level of innovation on a shoe-string budget, that allows them to craft stories that might seem too ambitious on the page.
The films on show include a gorgeous animation about a beautiful ghost, dancing piles of marine trash, a film about a terrifying giant chicken, and a short film that was in competition for the Short Palme d’Or at Cannes. Kiwis will find the stories told by these fabulous filmmakers inspiring and thought provoking.”
Visiting guest programmer Fransiska Prihadi, says, “The collaboration between Minikino and Show Me Shorts is an opportunity for continuous collaboration and exchange between both international festivals.”
The Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to New Zealand, H.E. Fientje Suebu, says “I am delighted that Indonesian Focus will be part of this year’s Show Me Shorts Film Festival. It is a unique opportunity for short film enthusiasts and cinemagoers across the county to experience a line-up of exciting short films from Indonesia. This will further boost people-to-people connection as the two countries celebrate 65 years of diplomatic relations this year.”
The Indonesian programme is also supported by the Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono. Craig Cooper, Director Arts, says: "We eagerly anticipate the unveiling of a diverse array of captivating short films from Indonesia at this year's Show Me Shorts Film Festival. The Foundation supports the showcasing of Asian arts within the broader tapestry of New Zealand's mainstream arts, and we look forward to seeing these films on New Zealand screens with their distinct and enriching viewpoints.”
The 13 Indonesian short films will screen in two collections:
INDONESIAN FOCUS 1
Jamal – Dir/Writ: Muhammad Heri Fadli
Blue Poetry - Dir/Writ: Muhammad Heri Fadli
Acung Memilih Bersuara (Acung Decides to Speak Up) – Dir: Amelia Hapsari
Ride to Nowhere – Dir/Writ: Khozy Rizal
Dancing Colours – Dir/Writ: M. Reza Fahriyansyah
Nusa Antara (The Archipelago) – Dir: Azalia Muchransyah
Basri & Salma in a Never-Ending Comedy – Dir: Khozy Rizal
INDONESIAN FOCUS 2: INNOVATION
Kid Terminator – Dir: Rayhan Dharmawan
Chicken Awaken – Dir/Writ: Beny Kristia
Attack on Cholesterol – Dir/Writ: Gusti Ngurah Kade Anjas Artha Putra
I saw a Ghost, and It Was Beautiful – Dir/Writ: Bobby Fernando
The Lemony Snippets of A Loopy Reverie – Dir/Writ: Azalia Muchransyah
Senandung Senyap (A Sonorous Melody) – Dir/Writ: Riani Singgih
The Indonesian programme was put together in collaboration with Minikino Film Week-Bali International Short Film Festival. Show Me Shorts is partnering with the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia for the opening night events in Auckland and Wellington. The Indonesian programme is also supported by the Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono.
