Documentary Fest to Return to Erasmus Huis

Jakarta Globe, Robbie Pyburn, September 21, 2012

‘Saving Face,’ a film documenting the lives of acid attack victims from
Pakistan, will be screened at the International Documentary Film Festival.

     

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Following the success of last year’s event, the Erasmus Huis, the Dutch cultural center in South Jakarta, will host its second International Documentary Film Festival from Tuesday to Sept. 29. It is held in association with the International Documentary Film Festival of Amsterdam, the oldest and largest documentary film festival in the world. The festival will showcase a variety of documentaries from around the world as well as local works.

Last year, eight international films and 20 short-documentaries that were finalists in a local competition were screened. A positive response from attendees prompted a second edition this year.

This time, the event runs parallel with the SBM Golden Lens Documentary Film Festival, an exhibition of 20-short local documentaries selected from approximately 100 entrees. Ten of these films are then judged in the “Best Open Category,” while the other 10 vie for the “Best Student Category.” Also included is an “Audience Choice” award.

The IDFF will screen 17 international documentaries in order to “target more audiences,” according to its website.

“What I tried to do is to bring as many films [to this festival] that are, what I think, high quality,” said Orlow Seunke, the IDFF’s program director. “So I think if you go to see any of the documentaries, you will have a good time and enjoy it.”

Seunke also revealed that the “small theme” of this year’s festival was food.

A total of Rp 47 million ($5,500) prize money, donated by the Jakarta Foreign Correspondents Club and the School for Broadcast Media, Jakarta, will be divided among the winners of the three categories.

Additionally, the 20 documentarian finalists will be awarded with 13 days of workshops headed by experienced filmmakers Jord den Hollander and Hans Treffers. The workshops will be open to other filmmakers for a price.

The theme of this year’s workshops is “Getting Out of the Box,” and as the title suggests, the seminar urges participants to approach filmmaking in an original way. These discussion groups will give up-and-coming filmmakers the chance to develop their skills, collaborate with fellow filmmakers and learn from seasoned experts.

The IDFF includes the national premiere of “Marley,” a film detailing the life and legacy of reggae legend Bob Marley by Kevin Macdonald. The documentary features live performances, rare footage and insightful interviews with the people who were closest with Marley.

Other highlights include a screening of “Bus 174,” a documentary voted one of the 10 best films of 2002 by The New York Times and “Saving Face,” which won an Oscar for “Best Short Subject Documentary” in 2012.

IDFF

Hosted by Erasmus Huis

Sept. 25-29

Free to the public