As part of the opening session series, Festival Film Dokumenter 2024 provides an exhibition program entitled Ambiguity, which takes place at the exhibition hall Taman Budaya Yogyakarta. The exhibition presents artworks in the form of snippets of films and an installation that offers visitors an experience of responding to multi-interpretation films and installations.
Upon entering the exhibition hall, visitors will immediately see the work of Thai filmmakers, Komtouch Napattaloong and Dano Napattalong, which they put No Exorcism Film (2024) as the title. It is a film providing the visitors with a sensory audiovisual experience while discussing historical explorations through recordings that archive the Thai socio-political climate. Then, in the middle of the room, visitors are served with Ghost Light (2021) by Timoteus Anggawan Kusno which offers an immersive exploration of organic sound effects combined with choreography in response to audio. The third film, Surrounding Silences (2024) by Sabine Groenewegen creates a counter-narrative meaning in utilizing the archives of propaganda films belonging to the Dutch under their government in the colonial era. Last but not least, the work that becomes the face of Festival Film Dokumenter is a collection of artistic shots from Sekaten (Javanese traditional ceremony, festival, and fair) captured by Kurniadi Widodo entitled A Leap in Time, Stillness Whispers.
On the opening day, the exhibition was full of enthusiastic visitors participating at the exhibition. “(I am) Quite happy with how the exhibition and curation of the themes and films are manifested, which aligns with the ambiguity of exploration in each film, where it is exposed clearly. I feel like I was entering a market,” explained Nabil, one of the visitors to the exhibition. “Using a presentation format through the exhibition medium, the audience’s response is included in the intermediary relationship. From what I learned in communication lectures when documentary cinema is displayed in the exhibition room, there is a sense of immediacy, that is not found in the screening ecosystem. The exploration of the medium also triggers an intimate atmosphere in enjoying the work,” he explained in response to a film, Surrounding Silence, which he said was very explorative in deepening the premise of his film.
FFD exhibitions 2024 can be enjoyed for free by registering at the exhibition hall Taman Budaya Yogyakarta until November 9, 2024.
Covered by Gantar Sinaga pada 2 November 2024 (Ed. Vanis/Trans. Shafira Rahmasari)
