JIFFest is back despite budget constraints
Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Despite financial constraints almost calling off the event, the annual Jakarta International Film Festival (JIFFest) is back for the fifth time, although shorter in duration and offering a narrower selection of films.F
Starting Oct. 14 through Oct. 19, the festival will screen only 38 films, or one third of the number of films presented last year.
This year's films will be screened at four places: Goethe Haus and Galeri Oktagon in Central Jakarta and Pusat Perfilman H. Usmar Ismail (PPHUI) and Erasmus Huis in South Jakarta.
According to JIFFest director and co-founder Shanty Harmayn, the financial constraints are the result of some parties withdrawing sponsorship.
"JIFFest is an independent initiative. We're very much dependent on funding and sponsorship and also ticket revenue. So, if one sponsor withdraws it will be very difficult for us," she said recently, unable to elaborate on the cause of the loss of sponsorship.
"We're very much hoping that the government will assist with the funding. Because foreign film festivals like Cannes, Singapore, Pusan... you name it, are funded 40 percent to 50 percent by the government," Shanty said.
"We almost canceled the event. But many parties insisted that we go on with it. So, here we are. We have to cut the number of films, but not the quality."
Every year, hundreds of movie buffs pack JIFFest screening venues to enjoy quality movies from around the globe, which barely make their way in to mainstream cinemas.
Past audiences have even been willing to sit on the floor if tickets sold out.
This year's festival incorporates films from 15 countries, under the theme of "Understanding Change" -- aimed at understanding big changes in the world.
The festival will kick off with Nowhere in Africa, a film by German director Caroline Link which won this year's Academy Awards for Best Foreign Film.
Another film on the theme -- September 11 -- is an omnibus of 11 short films from 11 directors across the world, such as Sean Penn, Mira Nair from India and Samira Makhmalbaf from Iran.
The film portrays the world's reactions to the Sept. 11 tragedy and the changes that became apparent in the event's aftermath.
Other highlights include Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine, the winner of the 2003 Academy Award for Best Documentary and the highest selling documentary on weapon possession in the United States; Invasion of the Barbarians by Canadian Denys Arcand, which won Best Screenplay at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival and one of 2003 Cannes' Official Selection called Les Tripplettes de Belleville by Sylvain Chomet.
The festival will be closed by Osama, an Afghanistan film describing the background of the Taliban, directed by Sedigh Barmak.
For the first time ever, JIFFest will also hold the 2003 Short Documentary Film Competition. The selection process began several months ago and twelve finalists have been chosen. The winner will be announced at the end of the festival.
JIFFest will also hold seminars on Women in Film with speaker Debra Zimmerman from Women Make Movies, and also Human Rights in Film.
Ticket prices are Rp 15,000 each, and can be ordered online (since last Monday) through website www.jiffest.com. Starting from today, until Oct. 13, you can also obtain tickets from the JIFFest ticket office, Jl. Sutan Syahrir IC, Blok 3-4, Menteng, Central Jakarta.
Other information is available in the JIFFest quick guide at the JIFFest office, through the JIFFest website, or by calling the hotline number (021) 31925139.