EXCLUSIVE: The Alternativa Film Project, a global non-profit film initiative founded by technology company inDrive, has unveiled its shortlisted films and jury for the upcoming Alternativa Film Awards.
This year’s edition will be hosted in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, on November 29. Last year’s edition was held in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Organizers said that the Alternativa Film Awards aims to recognize films that address important social and cultural topics, and which also have an ambition to positively affect the lives of people and local communities.
This year’s edition received 670 submissions for the awards, twice as many as last year’s, with 25 films selected, including 13 feature-length films and 12 shorts, from 14 Asian countries and across 20 different languages.
Female-directed films make up nearly half of the selection and of the feature-length films, nine are debut works.
Jury members for this year’s edition include Indian filmmaker Anand Gandhi, Indonesian director Kamila Andini, German filmmaker and author Steffi Niederzoll, Indonesian actress Asmara Abigail, Kazakhstani filmmaker Katerina Suvorova, Iranian filmmaker Amir Masoud Soheili and Brazil’s co-founder and co-director of the Taturana Institute, Carol Misorelli.
The Alternativa Film Festival, running from November 22-28, will also take place alongside the awards ceremony, featuring public screenings and discussions for the shortlisted films.
This year, a three-day Industry Days program, aimed at fostering connections between filmmakers, producers, and social impact leaders from Southeast Asia, will also be held between November 27-29.
The awards will present a total of $100,000 in prizes, with $20,000 awarded to four winners in each feature-length category, and $10,000 each for the two winners in the shorts category.
“The Alternativa Film Project is all about celebrating bold, independent voices that strive to change the society around them,” said Liza Surganova, head of the Alternativa Film Project. “Following last year’s successful inaugural edition, we’re now thrilled to share the incredible lineup of films and programs we’ve curated this year, offering something unique for both filmmakers and audiences. We are also very proud of our exceptional Jury — seven visionaries from all over the world, who have kindly accepted our invitation to join the Awards and help us create more impact through the power of cinema.”
Here are the shortlisted films, which also form the festival’s lineup:
FEATURES
AFTER THE SNOWMELT
Director: Yi-Shan Lo
Taiwan, 2024
Genre: Documentary
Languages: Mandarin, Nepali, English
BIRD OF A DIFFERENT FEATHER
Director: Manohara K
India, 2024
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Languages: Kannada
BREAKING THE CYCLE
Director: Aekaphong Saransate, Thanakrit Duangmaneeporn
Thailand, 2024
Genre: Documentary
Languages: Thai
CU LI NEVER CRIES
Director: Pham Ngoc Lan
Vietnam, 2024
Genre: Drama
Languages: Vietnamese
DEVI
Director: Subina Shrestha
Nepal, 2024
Genre: Documentary
Languages: Nepali
GRAND ME
Director: Atiye Zare Arandi
Iran, 2024
Genre: Documentary
Languages: Persian
THE ADAMANT GIRL
Director: Vinothraj PS
India, 2024
Genre: Drama
Languages: Tamil
MADINA
Director: Aizhan Kassymbek
Kazakhstan, 2023
Genre: Drama
Languages: Kazakh
PIERCE
Director: Nelicia Low
Singapore, 2024
Genre: Thriller, Drama, Sports
Languages: Mandarin
SABA
Director: Maksud Hossain
Bangladesh, 2024
Genre: Drama
Languages: Bengali
TALE OF THE LAND
Director: Loeloe Hendra Komara
Indonesia, 2024
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Languages: Indonesian
THE GIFT
Director: Dalmira Tilepbergen
Kyrgyzstan, 2023
Genre: Drama
Languages: Kirghiz
WOMEN FROM ROTE ISLAND
Director: Jeremias Nyangoen
Indonesia, 2023
Genre: Drama
Languages: Bahasa Rote (Daerah Indonesia)
SHORTS
#TEENS / #BAGETS
Director: Lester Cristal
Philippines, 2023
Genre: Social Drama
Languages: English, Filipino
A CLEANING SERVICE
Director: Nguyen Duy Anh
Vietnam, 2024
Genre: Documentary
Languages: Vietnamese
ACCIDENTALLY INTENTIONAL
Director: Kevin Rahardjo
Indonesia, 2023
Genre: Drama
Languages: Indonesian
CROSS MY HEART AND HOPE TO DIE
Director: Sam Manacsa
Philippines, 2023
Genre: Comedy
Languages: Tagalog
DEAR DAUGHTER
Director: Hsu Pan Naing
Myanmar, 2023
Genre: Animation, Documentary
Languages: Burmese
HOMECOMING
Director: Nyi Rai
Myanmar, 2024
Genre: Documentary
Languages: Wa, Burmese
MAYBE SOMEDAY
Director: Praditha Blifa Rahayu
Indonesia, 2023
Genre: Drama
Languages: Indonesian
MY WONDERFUL LIFE
Director: Calleen Koh
Singapore, 2024
Genre: Animation
Language: Mandarin
PEACELAND
Director: Ekin Kee Charles
Malaysia, 2024
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Languages: Kadazandusun (Dusun language), Sabahan Malay
SAMU THE TERRIBLE AND HIS SIN
Director: Dhiwangkara Seta Rachmat
Indonesia, 2024
Genre: Thriller, Coming of Age, Drama
Languages: Indonesian
WASHHH
Director: Mickey Lai
Malaysia, 2024
Genre: Drama
Languages: Malay, English, Chinese
WITHERING TREE AND DYING ASHES
Director: Tan Wei Ting
Singapore, 2024
Genre: Drama
Languages: Hokkien, Chinese, English
