Announcement Of The Winner Of The 2024 Alternative Film Awards At The InDrive First Alternative Film Festival

Photo: Special

JAKARTA - Alternative Film Project, a non-profit global and nomadic film initiative founded by inDrive and dedicated to supporting filmmakers who have just plunged into the film industry, has announced the winner in the 2024 edition of the Alternativa Film Awards at a ceremony held at the UGM Innovation and Creativity Center (GIK) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, hosted by the United Nations Elementary School actress and Motivater for Gender Equality, Hannah Al Rashid.

In addition, Alternata Film Festival also announced that Latin America will become a new focus region starting in 2025, with the ceremony and award of the third Alternative Film to be held in 2026.

Alternata Film Awards recognizes films with artistic advantages that also discuss important social and cultural issues, and have ambitions to have a positive impact on people's lives and local communities and challenge injustice in line with inDrive missions. This year is the second edition of this award, last year it was held in Kazakhstan, but this is the first year this award was held as a peak moment at the festival film screening event organized by this organization.

Alternata Film Festival features public screenings and discussions for selected films. In parallel, the Industry Days program for three days was also implemented to encourage relations between filmmakers, producers, and social impact leaders from Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and the international world.

Instead of giving traditional awards, Alternata Film Awards awards talents and works that show cultural, social, and industrial impacts. Together, this award strengthens voice and important stories, prompting meaningful conversations through cinema. Of the 25 films selected, including 13 feature films and 12 short films, which come from 14 Asian countries and use 20 different languages.

The winners were selected by the independent international jury consisting of filmmakers and social impact experts. The judges are: Anand Gandhi (India), Steffi Niederzoll (Germany), Carol Misrelli (Brazil), Asmara Abigail (Indonesia),ria Suvorova (Kazakhstan), Kamila Andini (Indonesia), and Amir Masoud Soheili (Iran). The total prize funds are 100,000 US dollars, with 20,000 US dollars each given for four full-length categories, and 10,000 US dollars each for two winners in the Short Film Award category.

Here are the winners of the second edition of the Alternata Film Awards:

The Spotlight Award - This award is given to films that bring social issues that are neglected to the public's attention, illuminating stories that may remain invisible.

Winner: Bird Of A Different Badminton / Mikka Bannada Haki Director: Manohara K India, 2024 Genre: Drama, Language Comedy: Kannada

Main Cast: Jayashree, Rekha Kudligi, Manisha

"This film describes the young protagonist not as a victim, but as an individual who is intelligent, sensitive, and secretly opposes the contradictions of the world around him. It captivates us by exploring how people face struggles with humor and self-awareness. Without judging those around him even those who accidentally cause frustration This film reveals extraordinary talents hidden in unexpected places. Talents that can enrich us all if nurtured. For a deep humanity and its poetic irony, we give Spotlight Awards to Bird of a Different air', directed by Manohara K, "said one of the Juries' statement.

Future Voice Award - Respecting the new filmmakers whose first or second works show great potential to bring about changes in the film industry and the wider community.

WINNER: Cu Li Never Cries/Cu Li Khmengg Bao Gi Marijuh Khmenc Director: Pham Ngoc Lan Vietnam, 2024 Genre: Drama Bahasa: Vietnam

Main Actor: Minh Chau, Ha Phuong, Xuan An, Hoang Ha

"Because this film is adept at playing with the spectrum of the cinematic language, aligning its shape and content. Because it explores the emotional burden of shattered dreams, differences of generation, and voids that survive the failed communist utopia. Because this film is poetically conveying personal memory, cultural loss, and selective history, reflecting Vietnam's complexity with troubling beauty. Because it resonates as a deep meditation of resilience, nostalgia, and time travel. Future Voice Award is given to Cu Li Never Cries by Pham Ngoc Lan," said Steffi Niederzoll, Juri Alternativa.

Alter Award - Respecting films that inspire social transformation by discussing important issues such as human rights, migration, and environmental challenges.

WINNER: Grand Me Director: Atiye Zare Arandi Iran, 2024 Genre: Documentary Language: Persia

"With extraordinary sensitivity, this film is paying attention to exploring the complexity of childhood, family dynamics, and the tension between polarity and the reality of adults. Through the eyes of its young protagonists, this film shows how important it is for children to listen to and understand in their struggles. Located in contemporary Iranian background, this narrative also reflects gender inequality, where the decision requires the consent of the father, who forms a child's perception of the world. The film captures those themes with extraordinary honesty and gentleness. The Alter Award was given to Grand Me by Atiye Zare Arandi. Carol Myrelli, Jury Alternactivation.

The Nariva Award - Respecting works that deepen national identity or culture, features stories that bring territory and communities to the global stage.

Winner: The Adamant Girl / Kottukkaali Director: Vinothraj PS India, 2024 Genre: Drama Bahasa: Tamil

Main Actor: Soori Muthuchamy, Anna Ben

"This is a film that forces us to confront cultural and community contradictions, in which power is often hidden behind tradition. It asks: In preserving cultural identity, which ideas are worth inheriting, which rituals must be discarded, and who decides? Through the secret disobedience of a young woman, one row of dialogue, and the hair that is decomposed as a symbol of freedom she envisions, this story challenges the systemic injustice disguised as an original culture. For a firm exploration of the tension between equality and tradition, we are proud to give the Nativa Award to The Adamant Girl directed by P.S. Vinothraj, "explained Anand Gandhi, Jury Alternativa.

The Shorts Award - Supporting brave filmmakers from the focus region, gives awards to two short films that have a clear vision for change.

WINNER: Washhh Director: Mickey Lai Malaysia, 2024 Genre: Drama Bahasa: Malay, English, Mandarin

Main Cast: Farah Ahmad, Esha Anum, Kaana Selvam, Li Xuan Siow

"This film sensitively questions many complex topics about young Muslim girls in Southeast Asia in one situation. Cinematography and its appearance strongly captures every layer of pressure, anger, confusion and frustration that arises from those issues. This film shows how menstruation, the natural cycle in a woman's body, can give rise to different perspectives in different cultures. An intimate reflection of one very specific voice that defines how important cinema is to us today. Shorts Award is given to Washhh by Mickey Lai." Kamila Andini, Jury Alternata

WINNER: A CLEANING SERVICE/LAU L'I 04U T

Director: Nguyen Duy AnhVietnam, 2024Genre: Documentary Of Language: Vietnam

"With a poetic story and an innovative approach in exploring labor, gender, and social norm issues, this film captivates with striking visuals and a layered sound landscape. The film challenges perception while celebrating resilience and in depth reflects contemporary reality. With the use of proficient hybrid documentary techniques to illuminate complex issues, the Short Film Award is awarded to Duy Anh Nguyen's A Cleaning Service," said Amir Masoud Soheili, Jury Alternative.

In addition to these six awards, the Resonance Award is given to Thai feature films, How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (2024, directed by Pat Boonnitipat), a heartwarming film and exploring the complexity of family relations, sacrifice, and happiness search. This award celebrates the extraordinary success with the audience, and although it is not included in the open call and is not accompanied by a money award, winners in this category will receive training or mentoring programs tailored to their individual needs.

Liza Heavennova as Head of Alternative Film Project, expressed her views on the winner of the Resonance Award category, namely the film How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies.

"These award winners address complex family issues about caring for their parents, have a sincere love affair with relatives, and find your friends in a family with mild and humorous concepts. This is a very touching film, which discusses the relationship between care providers and treatment recipients, an issue that is very relevant to the population that continues to grow in Southeast Asia and around the world," he explained.

Arsen Tomsky, CEO and Founder of inDrive, and founded the Alternative Film Project, conveyed a message to the audience via video.

"It is a great honor to hold this year's awards and festivals in Yogyakarta and we are very happy to be able to welcome more than 3,000 viewers to watch these extraordinary films, as well as expand the impact they have on actual art celebrations. We have a team of nearly 200 people, mostly locals, who have worked hard to realize this extraordinary initiative. We also want to thank Mas Garin, who is one of the most important people in the event of the Alternative Film Project in Yogyakarta Indonesia, who is also our partner through GIK," he explained.