Yogyakarta, December 2, 2023 - The Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival (JAFF), one of the most prestigious annual film festivals, officially concluded on Saturday night (2/12). The Indonesian film titled "Monisme" was awarded the Best Film of JAFF18, winning the Golden Hanoman Award.

The experimental film, directed by Riar Rizaldi, revolves around several professional and non-professional actors portraying the dynamics of human and nature relationships on one of the world's most active volcanoes, Mount Merapi. "Monisme" premiered at the Festival International de Cinéma de Marseille 2023 and won the Best Film award at the Bucharest International Experimental Film Festival 2023.

Meanwhile, the Silver Hanoman award went to the film "Oasis of Now," directed by Chia Chee Sum, and "Dreaming & Dying" by director Nelson Yeo received a Special Jury Mention. Various other awards were also presented based on film program categories such as the NETPAC Award, Blencong Award, Indonesian Screen Award, Geber Award, and Student Award.

The vibrancy of the Asian film industry was evident from the enthusiasm throughout the eight days of JAFF18. Since its opening on November 25, there were a total of 20,444 people who attended JAFF18 held at Empire XXI, Yogyakarta.

This year marked the 18th edition of JAFF, serving as one of the annual film festivals organized in Yogyakarta. Public enthusiasm was significant, with over 3,000 participants engaging in non-screening programs, including public lectures, workshops, community forums, and the Film & Series Lab.

The realization of JAFF18 was made possible through the financial support from the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education Agency (LPDP). The benefits of the #UangKita (#OurMoney) initiative, facilitated through the Endowment Fund for Culture (Dana Indonesiana), have been flowing into each JAFF event in recent years.

Established in March 2022, the Endowment Fund for Culture is a tangible expression of the government's commitment to sustaining the ecosystem of artists and cultural practitioners, including the film industry, to ensure continuous productivity. The current value of the Cultural Endowment Fund, amounting to Rp5 trillion, has been managed through investment schemes, and the proceeds from its development have been utilized for various arts and cultural programs.

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology has been designated as the organizer for the utilization of the Cultural Endowment Fund, also known as the Dana Indonesiana, in many cultural-related activities.