JAFF, Indonesiana, and Children's Films

The five short children's films screened at JAFF can bring children together with what they watch. Children's film screenings to continue.

The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI. The original article can be found in JAFF, Indonesiana, dan Film Anak

The sound of elementary school children's laughter echoed through the corridors of Empire XXI Jogja. It was a rare sight to see hundreds of children entering the cinema together. JAFF was able to create such an atmosphere. Five short films by children will soon be screened in Studio 2 on that Sunday afternoon (26/11/2023).

This year, JAFF (Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival) is collaborating with Layar Anak Indonesiana, one of the children's film production funding programs from Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Kemendikbudristek). Five short children's films fresh from the oven with a duration of 12-14 minutes are shown sequentially. Hundreds of children have been loyal since the first film was shown until the ending of the last film. They were also enthusiastic about asking and answering questions with the filmmakers.

Two longings were fulfilled that day. Firstly, a cinema filled with children. Secondly, the meeting of a children's film with its intended audience.

Children's viewing area

Who actually has the right to watch films in cinemas? We know the answer, everyone should, all ages. However, where are the children? We only often see one or two of them tucked away among adults, maybe older siblings or parents. Watching what? Children's film? Family movie? Not necessarily.

The lack of children's film projects by our filmmakers is felt even in cinemas that only screen one or two domestically produced children's films in a year. If we take a moment to reflect, how many children's film titles can we (as children) remember for the past 25 years?

What is easier for us to remember, of course, are the imported films from big American studios. These are films that are produced using advanced animation techniques and are expensive to make, which even adults do not want to miss out on queuing for.

Also read: Non-Stop Appreciation for National Children's Films

The complexity of the issue of cinemas in Indonesia cannot be solved on our own. And amidst the turmoil, children have yet to find a suitable dock to anchor their boats. Therefore, the scene at JAFF on Sunday afternoon can become an important momentum, sowing the seeds for a new ecosystem of children's films.

Opportunities have been opened. Who will continue? Sometimes, initiations arise from festivals but do not move beyond them. This opportunity should be seized together, used as bait to attract more parties for its sustainability.

The Ministry of Education and Culture should also expand its funding with new initiatives. For example, a children's film production workshop, considering that one of the problems with the lack of children's film production in Indonesia is the impression that making films with children is difficult. This kind of initiative can read the children's film ecosystem from upstream to downstream.

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

Film enthusiasts attended the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival (JAFF) event at Empire XXI cinema in Yogyakarta on Tuesday (28/11/2023). JAFF will run until December 2, 2023.

Children as spectators

Even more interesting, the five films being screened at that time had a variety of special offers for children. The filmNdogmu & Ndogku (directed by Kelik Sri Nugroho), the main characters are two salted eggs who are struggling to defend themselves as the main menu on the dinner table. Not showing the figures of children, the animation for this film is not grandiose and actually seems familiar.

Another film, Ijo and Emas (directed by Daud Nugraha), shows a cardboard puppet play whose gestures are easy to recognize and whose dialogue is easy for children to follow. Music and songs provide flavor to the emotional dynamics of Buto Ijo and Timun Emas.

Meanwhile, Mlethek (directed by Wahyu Agung Prasetyo), tempted the children with its surprises. Three children in a short time turned into trees after stealing rambutan. This film combines live action children's characters with the expertise of computer animation. So curious, one of the children watching asked at the end of the film: how do you make it?

However, film festivals can be an alternative entertainment option when cinemas and television do not offer meaningful movies for children.

The next film, Paperahu Hao You (directed by Riqhi Alvin Sani), features five child characters who experience the ups and downs of friendship. This film invites viewers to consider that winning a competition is not more important than maintaining friendship.

Finally, the film Serdadu Apel Emas (directed by Lingga G Permadi), makes children sing along while feeling the turmoil of a child character who wants to help his parents, but also doesn't want to lose his friends. Among the other four films, this film offers the most music, songs and dance. Whether sad or happy is covered with songs, typical for children.

Even though offering different nuances, the five films still fall in the same category, attempting to cater to a children's audience. This impression brings back memories of children's film festivals that have recently fallen silent, both nationally and locally. However, film festivals can serve as an alternative viewing choice if cinemas and television do not offer meaningful films for children.

Moreover, the five films come from filmmakers from different regions. Even though Java still dominates, at least the audience at that time could also enjoy the setting and dialect typical of Pontianak, West Kalimantan. The seeds of this JAFF-Kemendikbudristek collaboration should become a new foothold in developing children's film production in the regions.

Also read: Metamorphosis of Indonesian Children's Films

This film screening should not stop at JAFF. Other exhibition points are already waiting at schools, training centers, and impromptu film screening locations in villages throughout Indonesia.

Collaboration can continue, for example, with bioscil (small mobile cinema) which has experience showing children's films in dozens of remote areas. They also have viewing programs tailored to their main audience: children. You can also collaborate with Sumbu Pakarti which already has learning studios and literacy parks in more than 60 regions in Indonesia.

The goal is one, to bring together children with entertainment that is suitable for their character and age. As a result, the lively atmosphere of children's laughter at the Empire XXI on Sunday afternoon can spread throughout Indonesia.

Lukas Deni Setiawan, Lecturer at the Department of Communication Sciences, FISIP Atma Jaya University Yogyakarta; JAFFvisitors

Instagram: lukas.deni