‘Yohanna’ Wins Big as ‘Happyend’ Takes Top Prize at Indonesia’s Jogja Festival
The 19th Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival has wrapped in Yogyakarta (Jogja), Indonesia, with local feature “Yohanna” dominating the Indonesian Screen Awards while Neo Sora’s “Happyend” secured the festival’s top Golden Hanoman Award.
“Yohanna,” directed by Razka Robby Ertanto, collected five honors including best film, director, storytelling, performance (Laura Basuki, Kirana Putri Grasela, Iqua Tahlequa), and cinematography (Odyssey Flores). Truong Minh Quy’s “Viet and Nam” took home the Silver Hanoman Award.
More from Variety
In other awards, “Ma – Cry of Silence” by The Maw Naing won the Netpac Award and Geber Award, while Hung Chen’s “When the Wind Rises” secured both the Blencong Award and JAFF Student Award. Behzad Nalbandi’s “Anita, Lost in the News” received a Special Jury Mention.
The festival program featured a masterclass with Taiwan-based auteur Tsai Ming Liang, which attracted filmmakers like Riri Riza, Mira Lesmana, Kamila Andini, and JAFF director Ifa Isfansyah. Three of Tsai’s works were screened: “Vive L’Amour” (1994), “Goodbye, Dragon Inn” (2003), and “Abiding Nowhere” (2024).
The Nocturnal program returned with midnight screenings, while the event’s cinematic concert series featured two performances: Garin Nugroho’s “Samsara” with live musical accompaniment and a collaboration between artists Sal Priadi and Kunto Aji.
JAFF continued its inclusive screening program, Bioskop Bisik, catering to visually and hearing-impaired audiences. The festival drew over 24,000 attendees, marking its highest turnout since launching in 2006. The next edition, JAFF20, is set to return in 2025.
The festival’s inaugural project market, the JAFF Market, proved to be a success.
“The maturity of JAFF is felt from the responses of the audience and participants this year,” said Isfansyah. “Hopefully, all forms of enthusiasm and feedback from JAFF19’s participants will be the driving force for the vibrancy of Indonesian cinema for the next few years.”
“The fully booked Cinematic Concert, the lively participation of children and families in the Layar Anak Indonesiana program, and the screening of the Nocturnal program are our ways of showcasing the diversity of works and the variety of players within the film industry,” added Ajish Dibyo, executive director of JAFF. “Moving forward, we aim to preserve this spirit of diversity by continuing to innovate and bring even more creative and groundbreaking forms of expression to life.”
Complete List of Winners:
Main Competition
Golden Hanoman: “Happyend” (dir. Neo Sora)
Silver Hanoman: “Viet and Nam” (dir. Truong Minh Quy)
Netpac Award
“Ma – Cry of Silence” (dir. The Maw Naing)
Blencong Award
“When the Wind Rises” (dir. Hung Chen)
Special Mention for Light of Asia Section
“Anita, Lost in the News” (dir. Behzad Nalbandi)
Indonesian Screen Awards
Best Film: “Yohanna” (dir. Razka Robby Ertanto)
Best Director: Razka Robby Ertanto (“Yohanna”)
Best Storytelling: Razka Robby Ertanto (“Yohanna”)
Best Performance: Laura Basuki, Kirana Putri Grasela, Iqua Tahlequa (“Yohanna”)
Best Cinematography: Odyssey Flores (“Yohanna”)
Best Editing: Akhmad Fesdi Anggoro (“Queen of Witchcraft”)
Geber Award
“Ma – Cry of Silence” (dir. The Maw Naing)
JAFF Student Award
“When the Wind Rises” (dir. Hung Chen)
Best of Variety
Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Solve the daily Crossword
