With this year’s title ‘Metanoia’, the Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, JAFF represents the “relentless quest for universal humanity and hope for a comionate society across Asia”, as JAFF’s festival director Ifa Isfansyah said in his welcoming message.

In numbers, JAFF received more than 750 submissions and 180 films were screened—33 from first-time directors and 41 from women directors. Other events included public lectures by co-founder of JAFF and legendary filmmaker Garin Nugroho, and film industry experts such as filmmaker Hanung Bramantyo, filmmaker Gina S. Noer, writer Intan Paramaditha, filmmaker Timo Tjahjanto and others. The most anticipated event of all at JAFF was the master class by the incomparable Malaysian auteur Tsai Ming-liang.

In the talk, he discussed his favorite filmmakers such as Jean-Luc Godard, Yasujirō Ozu, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, and Robert Bresson, to name a few. One of the memorable quotes from Ming-liang was that he realized that the pace of his films was getting slower because “Lee Kang-sheng is getting slower, too. So I just go around and follow my actor. Even now [talking about the festival], Lee is still sleeping at the hotel,” inviting roaring laughter from the audience. 

JAFF feels like a home for Indonesian cinephiles, its vivacious environment making the festival one of the most anticipated cultural events of the year. Here are the highlights and competition winners worth adding to your watchlist—approved by the writer and the program director themselves.

Samsara

Written and directed by Garin Nugroho

Samsara puts the audience to a test, the same way Nugroho did back in 2006, at JAFF’s inaugural edition. The film is an accompaniment to 2006’s Requiem from Java and 2016’s Satan Jawa, with each movie incorporating Indonesia’s folk tales and diverse art forms—Samsara is a harmonious marriage between electronic music and traditional Balinese performances. Set in 1930s Bali, the film tells the story of a poor man whose love for a woman is rejected by her wealthy family. So, he does what anyone would do: he performs a dark ritual for the Monkey King in order to gain the family’s approval. Little does he know, fatal consequences follow.

Việt and Nam (Trong lòng đất)

Written and directed by Trương Minh Quý

Arresting and meditative, Việt and Nam tells a tale of two coal miners who fall in love in the then separated South and North Vietnam states. Only the lovers’ breaths and sounds of crickets can be heard, their ion palpable. Being othered in a state of total chaos, one might (or should) think that there is nothing better to do but take control of one’s own happiness. The apparition of Vietnam’s agonizing past is an allegory best experienced in the cinema: nasty, violent, and sexy—the film even swept John Waters off his feet.

A Brother and 7 Siblings (1 Kakak 7 Ponakan)

Directed by Yandy Laurens, written by Laurens and Arswendo Atmowiloto

Following the success of YEZ says, the film could make you cry through the whole thing. Chicco Kurniawan’s towering performance and his worn-out eyes stand out as the heart.

Yukiko a.k.a. (雪子 a.k.a.)

Written and directed by Naoya Kusaba

Yukiko, the titular character of Kusaba’s new film, is a timid schoolteacher—capable and competent at her job, but has problems with communication and, to be blunt, letting her freak flag fly. She loves hip-hop music and hangs out with amateur rappers at the park after school, but she feels like she needs to go above and beyond to overcome whatever’s in front of her. Naoya Kusaba crafts this film like a warm, tender hug around the softest part of your heart. You can’t help but to root for Yukiko and her perky and chain-smoking educator comrades.

Chime (チャイム)

Written and directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa

In Chime, sound—heard and unheard—is the presence that torments everyone. The story follows Matsuoka, a culinary school teacher whose life takes a dark turn. Just before his demise, he claims to hear a chime-like noise. Matsuoka finds himself in peculiar episodes of terror, where insanity is manifested through sounds both real and imagined, beginning to seep into his life and the lives around him. It is a masterful cinematic experience compacted into a 45-minute runtime. His use of sound as a way to build tension created an unsettling atmosphere, a chilling world where the unseen becomes much more frightening.

Ben and Suzanne, a Reunion in 4 Parts

Written and directed by Shaun Seneviratne

Ben reunites with his girlfriend, Suzanne, in Sri Lanka, where she’s working for an NGO. However, the vacation is disturbed when Suzanne’s boss suddenly calls her up to work, putting the couple’s relationship to a test and forcing them to juggle between duty and desire. Shaun Seneviratne’s debut feature might seem like a lighter offering compared with some of the heavier subjects at JAFF this year, but the film never shies away from mature reflections on interracial dynamics, desire, and intimacy.

All We Need Is Time (Mungkin Kita Perlu Waktu)

Written and directed by Teddy Soeriaatmadja

All We Need is Time finds Teddy Soeriaatmadja raising thought-provoking questions about the interplay of psychology and religion as approaches to resolving familial problems. The film tells the story of a boy and his family grappling with the loss of their oldest daughter. Struggling to cope with anxiety, his parents find themselves at a crossroads, having to choose between relying on religious practices or psychological help as a mode of healing. Soeriaatmadja challenges audiences—by juxtaposing these two modes of problem-solving, the film interrogates deeper societal biases and asks whether faith and science can coexist within family dynamics. “Important to be seen by many people,” as Panji Respati writes.