Festival Film Dokumenter (FFD) continues to shift and assist the documentary movement in Indonesia and worldwide. Held for the 22nd time, the 2023 FFD has officially begun. Divided into 10 programs, this year, FFD screens 84 films from 42 production countries. The programs offered by the 2023 FFD are the Competition program, Perspektif, Spektrum, Docs Docs: Short!, Utopia/Dystopia, Retrospektif, Lanskap, DOC Interactive, Monographs, and DOC Talk. The 2023 FFD will be held from 3-9 December 2023 in four different locations: Gedung ex Bioskop Permata, Bioskop Sonobudoyo, IFI-LIP Yogyakarta, and Cemeti-Institute for Art and Society.
The opening ceremony was attended by the representative of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, various filmmakers, and the public. Rabu, a music group based in Yogyakarta, opened the ceremony. After that, the event continued with a series of speeches.
The first speech was delivered by the Festival’s Director, Kurnia Yudha. “If organizing a film festival is considered a hard thing, then maintaining and keeping it moving is an even harder thing.” Entering FFD’s 22nd year, Yudha revealed that there are many obstacles and questions to maintain the festival. But, optimism must still be prioritized. He believed that documentary films could be a powerful tool and medium to create positive change in the world. This year, many new talents have appeared with the courage to raise issues through FFD.
The next speech came from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology’s representative of the Film, Music, and Media’s Director, Ahmad Mahendra. Mahendra greatly appreciated Forum Film Dokumenter, who, for 22 years, has consistently organized FFD. “We believe FFD will continue to grow and expand into an inclusive space that can synergize with the government programs and filmmakers.”
FFD Program Director Alia Damaihati delivered the last speech. Alia stated, “Every year, the Spirit that underlies Festival Film Dokumenter is how values and dynamic world-view along with its changes can unite us through various mediums and activities in public space.”
As her closing statement before the film started, Alia exclaimed, “Enjoy watching time travel and cycle in little fragments at the 2023 FFD!”
The opening film this year is Abyssal (2021). The documentary, directed by Alejandro Alonso Estrella, a Cuba Republic filmmaker, is included in the Docs Docs Short program. With a 30-minute run time, Abyssal tells the story of Ruadel, who lives and works in a shipyard located in the west of Cuba. He is haunted by a childhood memory that makes him feel constantly watched by an invisible entity.
This year, FFD continues to present the DOC Interactive program. This program, initiated by FFD since 2017, aims to bring together documentary films and other art disciplines. Kurnia Yudha Fitranto explained that DOC Interactive is a space to encourage documentaries to give an artistic, creative, and innovative offer that breaks the boundaries of documentary’s own definition.
The DOC Interactive program is held in the Cemeti-Institute for Art and Society, collaborating with IFI-LIP and Faith in Speculations 1965. There are 4 works presented in various shapes, narration, and medium. These works represent the tracing of history and human relationships–intimate and personal–with their surrounding world.
Besides that, in the Competition program this year, there are 28 nominated titles in 4 categories: International Feature-Length Competition, Indonesian Feature-Length Competition, Short Competition, and Student Competition. Meanwhile, the other 56 titles are spread across various non-competition programs: Perspektif, Spektrum, Lanskap, Docs Docs: Short!, Utopia/Dystopia, Retrospektif, and Monograph.
FFD continues to shift and stir. Responding to the documentary lights that keep expanding, even surpassing themselves, various new programs are presented to accommodate them. This year, FFD proudly launched the Docs Docs program: Short!, Utopia/Dystopia, Retrospektif, and Monograph.
Not only through exhibition and competition, FFD is also consistent in opening inclusive discussion spaces for all documentary actors, doers, and enthusiasts through the DOC Talk program. DOC Talk presents intensive, interactive discussions on documentary development, connections, practices, and ecosystems. This year, FFD presents 10 discourse panels in DOC Talk that will explore and question the documentary’s position as a representation medium or a social intervention tool.
The 2023 Festival Film Dokumenter is brought to you by Forum Film Dokumenter. All of the events in the festival can be accessed without charge. Screening tickets are available on the spot at registration tables in each location. Information about the festival programs, films, reviews, and schedules can be accessed through www.ffd.or.id or social media @ffdjogja
