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Producers behind Fan Bingbing’s “Mother Bhumi,” Cannes Un Certain Regard title “Rehana Maryam Noor” and BBC One and Stan drama “The Tourist” are among 14 picks for the debut Producers Exchange at Indonesia’s JAFF Market,
which will hold its third edition Nov. 28-30 in Yogyakarta.
The market runs alongside the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival (JAFF) and is sponsored this year by Amar Bank. It has set up the program to steer visiting producers toward Indonesian partners. Each participant will get a tailored calendar of pre-booked meetings with teams from the JAFF Future Project selection, rights holders from JAFF IP Connection, exhibitors and other delegates. Meetings will be matched to each producer’s background and interests, with conversations ranging from adaptation and financing to co-production and release.
“We want international producers to see and experience Indonesia as a creative and production partner, with stories, talent and companies they can make films with,” said Linda Gozali, market director of JAFF Market. “Producers Exchange is designed to move those conversations towards joint development, financing and access to audiences, and to build partnerships that continue long after the market closes.”
Malaysia’s Wong Kew Soon produced “Snow in Midsummer,” which won the Firebird Award for best film at the Hong Kong International Film Festival. He also produced “Mother Bhumi,” starring Fan, which picked up three Golden Horse Awards and played in Tokyo’s main competition. U.S.-based Rajib Mohajan, representing Bangladesh and the U.S., was a producer on “Rehana Maryam Noor,” which went to Un Certain Regard in 2021. He now develops films and documentaries through Studio Forty-Five Hundred.
Singapore has two producers in the lineup. Sam Chua Weishi’s recent feature credits include Rafael Manuel’s “Filipiñana,” which played Sundance this year, and Nelicia Low’s Karlovy Vary title “Pierce.” Wendy Lie’s latest, Nelson Yeo’s “The House on the Moon,” competed at Locarno. Her first feature, Ang Geck Geck’s “Ah Girl,” took a special jury prize at Rotterdam this year.
Taiwan’s Shao-Yi Chen, general manager of Screenworks Asia, was executive producer on the Taiwanese-Indonesian horror film and series “Losmen Melati.” Her drama series “Islanders” earned 10 nominations at this year’s Golden Bell Awards. South Korea’s Kimbo Kim, founder of Seoul- and New York-based outfit 37th Degree, produced the Korean-American feature “Abroad” and directed “Forte.”
Representing Indonesia alone are Nana Riskhi and Nick Musa. Riskhi, a former Tempo TV CEO, is supervising producer on the Netflix Indonesian Original “General Mayhem: The Killing of Brigadier J.” Musa’s credits include “Death Knot” and “Orpa.” Thailand’s Phimphloi Nan Saensuk, known as Nan, works as a producer for IFA Bangkok after more than seven years at Sahamongkolfilm International. She is developing romantic vampire thriller series “Soulless” with director Anucha Boonyawatana.
Rounding out the selection are Filipina producer Danzen Santos Katanyag, president of Digital Dreams International; Mongolia’s Otgontuya Zorig, CEO of Repeater LLC, who is producing music drama “Letter from Paris”; and Vancouver-based filmmaker Jason Karman, representing Canada and Indonesia, whose debut feature “Golden Delicious” played 62 festivals.
The two Australians, Lisa Scott and Rae Choi, will come aboard via the market’s tie-up with the Adelaide Film Festival (AFF). Scott’s credits include “The Tourist,” made with U.K. company Two Brothers Pictures, as well as “Pine Gap,” “Wolf Creek” and “Janet King.” Choi, founder of Limina Pictures, produced Canneseries selection “Ina.” She is working with Robert Connolly on his upcoming feature “Shiver.”
Mat Kesting, AFF’s CEO and creative director, said the tie-up offers Australian producers a focused way to build ties with Indonesian filmmakers and companies from the earliest stages of a project. “We hope these exchanges lead to films shaped by both countries’ creative perspectives, with partners who can help them reach audiences across Australia, Indonesia and the wider region,” he said.
Each selected producer will get four nights’ lodging in Yogyakarta and accreditation for the market, along with entry to networking events and screenings and exposure on JAFF Market’s official platforms.
JAFF was founded in 2006. This year’s festival will run Nov. 28-Dec. 5.
