Sundance Film Festival: Asia announced today the lineup of feature films and events for the 2022 inaugural in-person festival in Jakarta from 25-28 August. The Festival will present seven feature films, four fiction and three nonfiction, from the 2022 Sundance Film Festival curated by Sundance’s programming team. The films represent independent storytelling from the US, UK, and Southeast Asia, each making their Indonesian premiere. The program is complemented by talks and panels from local and international guests hosted at ASHTA at District 8 and FLIX Cinema ASHTA. Tickets are now on sale at FLIXCinema.com.
To celebrate the in-person Festival, there will be a Meet and Greet Day on 27 August in ASHTA, inviting film enthusiasts to participate in conversations with film directors, filmmaker guests, and the Sundance Film Festival programmers. The day will feature panels with special guests and a mixer at the end of the activities for a chance to extend the dialogue. Further details of the event will be announced in the coming weeks. To participate, please register at the Meet & Greet section at SundanceFilmFestivalAsia.org.
The Festival will spotlight Indonesian filmmaking talent through the Sundance Film Festival: Asia Short Film Competition, sponsored by Argo. Seven finalists have been selected from over 100 entries. The artists and projects are: The Archipelago (Azalia Muchransyah & Firman Wijasmara), A Trip to Bangka (Winnie Benjamin), Aya (Aditya Ahmad), Evacuation of Mama Emola (Anggun Priambodo), Ride to Nowhere (Khozy Rizal), Science Around Us (ARIV) and Shallots and Garlic (Andrea Nirmala Widjajanto).
The Jury Award for Best Short Film will be announced on the Festival’s opening day. The winner and the finalists will be available to stream on Argo during the Festival and for a limited time. Last year’s shorts competition saw two of the films selected for the 2022 Sundance Film Festival.
Alongside the Festival, Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program will host a two-day screenwriters intensive for emerging filmmakers on August 25-26. Designed to be a showcase and accelerator for new Indonesian talent, the intensive will provide creative guidance and access to industry experts, plus the Institute’s artist program staff for emerging filmmakers working on a first or second feature film.
“Sundance Film Festival: Asia offers an exciting opportunity to connect with the Asian community around independent filmmaking. We share a vision with our partners XRM Media and IDN Media to use storytelling to connect communities and inspire new artists in Indonesia and support the development of Asian artists through our filmmaking programs,” said Joana Vicente, CEO of the Sundance Institute.
“We are thrilled to present the first in-person edition of Sundance Film Festival: Asia in Jakarta. The program represents the independent spirit of the Sundance Film Festival, and we can’t wait for local audiences to experience the humor, emotion, and beauty of these films. We are grateful for the opportunity to celebrate independent filmmaking in Indonesia and to create the space for conversation and an exchange of ideas,” said Kim Yutani, Sundance Film Festival Director of Programming.
William Utomo, Chief Operating Officer, IDN Media remarks, “We are very excited to work together to create the in-person festival experience and continue to serve the best interest of movie lovers in Indonesia. We hope that the Sundance platform can continue to push the movie industry forward.”
The 2022 Sundance Film Festival: Asia is presented by the Sundance Institute and XRM Media in Jakarta, Indonesia with support from IDN Media. For more details on the full program please go to SundanceFilmFestivalAsia.org and for ticketing Flixcinema.com.
The 2022 Sundance Film Festival: Asia feature film lineup details are:
blood / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Bradley Rust Gray, Producers: David Urrutia, Bradley Rust Gray, So Yong Kim, Elika Portnoy, Alex Orlovsky, Jonathon Komack Martin) — After the death of her husband, a young woman travels to Japan where she finds solace in an old friend. But when comforting turns to affection, she realizes she must give herself permission before she can fall in love again. Cast: Carla Juri, Takashi Ueno, Gustaf Skarsgård, Futaba Okazaki, Issey Ogata. Fiction.
Brian And Charles / U.K. (Director: Jim Archer, Screenwriters: David Earl, Chris Hayward, Producer: Rupert Majendie) — A story of friendship, love, and letting go. And a 7ft tall robot that eats cabbages. A comedy shot in documentary format. Cast: David Earl, Chris Hayward, Louise Brealey, Jamie Michie, Lowri Izzard, Mari Izzard. Fiction.
Fire Of Love / U.S.A. (Director: Sara Dosa, Producers: Shane Boris, Ina Fichman, Sara Dosa) — Intrepid scientists and lovers Katia & Maurice Krafft died in a volcanic explosion doing the very thing that brought them together: unraveling the mysteries of volcanoes by capturing the most explosive imagery ever recorded. A doomed love triangle between Katia, Maurice and volcanoes, told through their archival footage. Documentary.
Leonor Will Never Die / Philippines (Director and Screenwriter: Martika Ramirez Escobar, Producers: Monster Jimenez, Mario Cornejo) — Fiction and reality blur when Leonor, a retired filmmaker, falls into a coma after a television lands on her head, compelling her to become the action hero of her unfinished screenplay. Cast: Sheila Francisco, Bong Cabrera, Rocky Salumbides, Anthony Falcon. Fiction.
Maika / Vietnam (Director and Screenwriter: Ham Tran, Producers:Jenni Trang Le, Duy Ho, Anderson Le, Bao Nguyen) — After a meteor falls to earth, 8-year-old Hung meets an alien girl from the planet Maika, searching for her lost friend. As Hung helps her otherworldly friend search, the alien inadvertently helps Hung make new friends and heal a broken heart. But danger lurks everywhere… Cast: Phu Truong, Diep Anh Tru, Tin Tin, Ngoc Tuong, Kim Nha. Fiction.
Midwives / Myanmar (Director: Snow Hnin Ei Hlaing, Producers: Bob Moore, Ulla Lehman, Mila Aung-Thwin, Snow Hnin Ei Hlaing) — Two midwives work side-by-side in a makeshift clinic in Myanmar. Documentary.
RIOTSVILLE, USA / U.S.A. (Director: Sierra Pettengill, Producers: Sara Archambault, Jamila Wignot) — Welcome to Riotsville, a fictional town built by the U.S. military. Using footage shot by the media and government, the film explores the militarization of the police and the reaction of a nation to the uprisings of the late ’60s, creating a counter-narrative to a critical moment in American history. Documentary.
The Sundance Film Festival: Asia is supported by our sponsors the State of Utah and Grand Hyatt Hotel Group.
About Sundance Institute
As a champion and curator of independent stories, the Sundance Institute provides and preserves the space for artists across storytelling media to create and thrive. Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, the Institute’s signature Labs, granting, and mentorship programs, dedicated to developing new work, take place throughout the year in the U.S. and internationally. Sundance Collab, a digital community platform, brings a global cohort of working artists together to learn from each other and Sundance Advisors, and connect in a creative space, developing and sharing works in progress. The Sundance Film Festival and other public programs connect audiences and artists to ignite new ideas, discover original voices, and build a community dedicated to independent storytelling. Sundance Institute has supported and showcased such projects as Summer of Soul (…or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), CODA, Flee, Passing, Clemency, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, Zola, On the Record, Boys State, The Farewell, Honeyland, One Child Nation, The Souvenir, The Infiltrators, Sorry to Bother You, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, Hereditary, Call Me By Your Name, Get Out, The Big Sick, Mudbound, Fruitvale Station, City So Real, Top of the Lake, Between the World & Me, Wild Goose Dreams and Fun Home. Join Sundance Institute on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
About XRM Media
XRM Media is an entertainment and media technology entity, with state-of-the art production facilities, dedicated to combining compelling storytelling with ingenious distribution to push the limits of creativity in both the traditional and new media space. Our mandate is to be forward looking, out of the box thinking and stay unconventional in redefining an intersection where content and technology are seamlessly weaved together. Our interests vary across all stages of the development, production and distribution processes, including but not limited to, equity financing, co-financing, financial modeling and fund management. We can develop and produce any form of content across any medium as well as self-distribute, focusing first on mobile and digital platforms. Through our strategic partnerships and venture capital investments in over 26 countries, we are driven by our entrepreneurial culture to take risks to create unique business models, franchise concepts and/or and innovative platforms that resonate with a global audience. Our comprehensive holding of portfolio companies provides a dynamic environment— with vast capabilities at your disposal.
About IDN Media
IDN Media is the leading media platform company for Millennials and Gen Z in Indonesia, with over 80 million Monthly Active Users (MAU). Our vision is to democratize information and bring positive impacts to society. Founded on 8 June 2014 by Winston Utomo and William Utomo, IDN Media currently operates 5 digital media: IDN Times, Popbela.com, Popmama.com, Duniaku.com, and FORTUNE Indonesia; 3 content platforms: IDN, Yummy, and GGWP.ID; a digital agency: IDN Creative; an experiential marketing agency: IDN Event; a creator platform: ICE; a programmatic out-of-home media: IDN Programmatic OOH; a technology-based film company: IDN Pictures; an idol group: JKT48; an independent fact-tank: IDN Research Institute; and a non-profit social organization: IDN Foundation.
About Argo
Argo is the streaming platform on a mission to change the way you watch, share and discover film. Argo is building a community; connecting filmmakers to audiences, and featuring all genres of short film curated into themed playlists by film festivals, filmmakers, and influencers from around the world.
Argo makes sure that filmmakers get paid! The platform works on a revenue-share basis with a goal to ensure filmmakers have the opportunity to truly showcase their work, while entertaining and inspiring the new wave of independent film.
Discover your favorite short film on www.watchargo.com, or on the Argo app, available to download from iTunes App Store or Google Playstore. Follow us for updates on our new films on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Youtube.
Media enquiries:
Vincent Wan
Asia Pacific, XRM Media
+852 6626 3242
Saraya Adzani
PR & Partnership Manager, IDN Media
+62 812 1886 2176
Salverina Putri
Senior PR & Partnership Associate, IDN Media
+62 812 9915 7699
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