Indonesian Journalists Film Festival 2021, Indonesian Version Of The Golden Globe Is Ready To Be Held

Launching FFWi 2021

JAKARTA - The XI 2021 Indonesian Journalist Film Festival (FFWI) is ready to be held. The appreciation event, which was initiated by journalists and judged by a jury of journalists throughout Indonesia, was officially launched today, Wednesday, July 7. The  FFWI 2021 has full support from the Directorate of Film, Music and New Media (PMMB) Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemendikbud), Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia.

Journalists have played a role in the Indonesian film industry for a long time, or almost as long as the history of Indonesian cinema itself. Because history has recorded in its golden ink, the first “Indonesian Film”, in the sense that all the workers are Indonesian, was pioneered by Usmar Ismail, who incidentally was a journalist.

Likewise, organizing film festivals in Indonesia is nothing new for journalists. In terms of the first Indonesian Film Festival (FFI) in 1955, journalists have worked hand in hand with filmmakers in organizing the annual festival. So that journalists cannot be separated from the existence of film festivals in Indonesia.

However, the organization of a film festival by a jury of all journalists, among others, was only recorded in 1970 when the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) held the Selection of The Best Actor and The Best Actress for six years.

Then there was the Jakarta Film Festival which was held by two different tabloids with a jury of film journalists in 2006 and 2007. The tradition continued in 2016 and 2017 under the name Usmar Ismail Awards (UIA).

"Well, the "spirit" of organizing a film festival by journalists is what we later adopted and we made an inseparable part of history in organizing film festivals by journalists, including our respect for the predecessors of journalists who have carried out film festivals by journalists", said Wina Armada Sukardi, the head of Team Seven who reinvigorated the journalists' film festival, in a virtual press release.

The Directorate of Film, Music and New Media (PMMB) Kemendikbud, Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, emphasized the name "journalist" as the implementation of the festival in the form of FFWI.

"We fully support FFWI, because journalists are known for their independence, sensitivity, and relevance. FFWI is very necessary because it will enrich the Indonesian film ecosystem", said Ahmad Mahendra, Director of PMMB, in his remarks, when officially releasing FFWI.

He added that he would work hard to get back to holding FFWI in the following year. So sustainable. "This is a kind of Indonesian version of the Golden Globe. So after the event, I hope to immediately coordinate with FFWI next year", he said.

Judging Technique

The FFWI provides opportunities for various types or genres of films to be assessed independently. From there, in FFWI, each genre that meets a certain minimum number of participants is judged according to its genre.

Still related to values in the world of journalism, films that are participating in the FFWI this year. In addition to films that have been shown in public cinemas throughout Indonesia within the grace period from September 1, 2020, to September 30, 2021. FFWI also assesses films that have been screened on OTT or Over The Top. The highlight of the FFWI event will be held on October 28, 2021, to coincide with Youth Pledge Day.