Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival Opens with ‘Silenced Nights’ and Closes with ‘You Are the Film’

The 21st Jogja‑Netpac Asian Film Festival (JAFF) kicks off in Yogyakarta on Nov 28, spotlighting a Filipino drama and a Japanese comedy‑drama as bookends. Lawrence Fajardo’s “Silenced Nights” opens the slate, bringing its Toronto‑premiered story to an Indonesian audience for the first time. The festival will close with Makoto Ueda’s “You Are the Film,” a recent White Raven Award winner from Brussels. With 254 films from 34 countries and a theme of “Influx,” the event promises to map shifting cultural currents across Asia.

What happened

The festival runs Nov 28–Dec 5 in Yogyakarta under the theme “Influx,” screening 254 titles from 34 nations. It opens with the Filipino drama “Silenced Nights,” which debuted at Toronto, and closes with the Japanese comedy‑drama “You Are the Film,” a White Raven Award winner at Brussels.

Ten features compete for the Golden and Silver Hanoman Awards, judged by a jury that includes Dita Gambiro, Riar Rizaldi and Shan Zuolong. Among the contenders are first‑feature works by women filmmakers, such as China’s “A Girl Unknown” and Singapore’s “Ah Girl,” both recent festival award winners.

On the local front, ten Indonesian films vie in the Indonesian Screen Awards across categories ranging from Best Film to Best Director, highlighting homegrown talent alongside the international lineup.

Why it matters

JAFF’s programming underscores the growing interconnectedness of Asian cinema, giving regional audiences access to stories that might otherwise be confined to festival circuits in the West. By pairing a socially resonant Filipino drama with a genre‑bending Japanese comedy, the festival illustrates how diverse narratives can illuminate the same theme of societal flux. The competition sections also provide a launchpad for emerging filmmakers, especially women, whose visibility can shift industry dynamics across the continent.

How to think about it

If you’re a fan of Asian cinema, use JAFF’s schedule as a curated guide to discover new directors and regional trends. Look for films that align with the “Influx” theme to explore how creators interpret societal change. For titles that aren’t immediately streamable, note their titles and directors for future releases or festival‑circuits, and consider subscribing to niche streaming services that specialize in Asian independent film.

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