Festival Film Dokumenter 2024 presents the Indonesian Feature-Length Competition program with four selected films. The program is a window offering perspectives on the complex existence and agency of present-day Indonesia. The four films in this year’s program selection underline the significance of documentary film as the means to explore layered human memories and experiences. Bringing out documentaries with a technical and aesthetic appeal that could support the way of storytelling and perspectives of the filmmakers is a significant factor. The very few documentaries that have been produced have affected the variety and diversity of the genre. This program is not only a look at how far Indonesian feature-length documentaries have come, but also a reference to where they are heading.
Presenting three jury members from varied backgrounds with the intentions that will enhance the appreciation of films in this category. The jury members for Indonesian Feature-Length Competition Festival Film Dokumenter 2024 are Amelia Hapsari, Chayanin Tiangpitayagorn, and Novasari Widyaningsih.
The summary of the interview with the jury members can be read below.
How do you see the selected films in this category? Is there any uniqueness in the films that pops and differentiates one to another film?
(Novasari) Maybe we can justify the personal first, that every film in general is offering nuances or intimacy.
(Chayanin) Yeah, because from what I’ve seen, I see that all four Indonesian feature films in comparison promise us intimacy in certain levels and due to storytelling-narrative the rest was how they would convey messages into to make us feel that intimacy towards its own subject, on the subject matter and for the other thing, from the outsider either point of view all of four films are very intertwined with Indonesian context. So many ways being societal, political, historical… That’s kind of an experience for me and maybe for Indonesian audiences too because they would have felt way different than me as an outsider who sees this and from my experience.
(Amelia) For me, I’ve observed Indonesian documentaries for like in the past ten years or fifteen years and I see now in this selection there is quite a clear effort to do more experimentation; to find storytelling that is not conventional. However, of course, not all of these effort succeed in delivering films that are successful to engage the audiences meaningfully as intended by the filmmaker but then I am very pleased also to see also films that are able to deliver complex and more nuanced portrait of places, of people, of communities that otherwise I wouldn’t be able to access.
How do you assess the strengths of the selected films?
(Amelia) I think the strength is the proximity between the subject and the filmmaker that’s very strong this year. Many times we see filmmakers that are portraying stories of communities that are far away from where they live and who they are in this selection. But, I think almost all the stories have a very close proximity to the land or to the subject here. So, this proximity and the diversity of communities portrayed in the selection is very strong and very encouraging.
(Novasari) We have several qualifications for the jury that is also guided by the festival committee, for example idea development, research, storytelling, style and form; and also technical aspects considerations. But for me personally, the most important thing may be the story, the narrative itself, and the style. Because now a lot of people are experimenting with documentary film style.
You agreed to give the nominations to the one film you’ve simultaneously chosen. What is the very reason this film is decidedly to be awarded?
(Novasari) First, the story of the film. Where it showcases chronicles that are not only personal biography of mentor/priest. But also the interplay and the intimate relationship between the mentee and mentor who also reveal a lot of multilayered operation behind the history of the land and its people.
(Chayanin) It’s also for my point of view like a look into a living proof of a history itself through the existence of Father (Pater Bert) who is a Dutchman who lived through Indonesian colonial history. What struck me the most is the stronger aspect of this film; the director’s playfulness in telling those stories because in many times when you are a new filmmaker or someone who’s trying to approach something like politics or history or something like that, you would came up with seriousness, or sometimes too determined and made it a bit stiff. But, Yonri Revolt’s playfulness gives a new flavor to these kinds of political-historical documentaries and it could be on the brink between playfulness and amateurishness. I think his playfulness kind of win over; how he played with the aspect ratio and how he played with a recomposition…
(Amelia) And about the editing also, because the film has a multi-layered narrative. It’s about Father’s younger self which was told by a narrator and also his older self in front of camera also about interviews and his own experiences, his present days. I think the film maybe is not like hundred percent complete its own promises but I think the film approaches are very interesting and it gives new flavor to political documentaries.
Festival Film Dokumenter 2024 is delighted to announce The Silent Path (2024) directed by Yonri Revolt as the awardee for Indonesian Feature-Length Competition. We appreciate all the selection committees and jury members who participated in the process of the Festival Film Dokumenter 2024.
Covered by Gantar Sinaga on November 5th 2024 (Ed. Vanis)
