Kandi Gasela's Journey & Vision
🎬 Kandi Gasela, a journalist and film critic since 2012 (starting at Detik.com), is currently a secretary on the PWI central board for arts, music, and film until 2028.
💼 Despite a past "slip" into a banking career, Kandi has pursued a lifelong aspiration to be a filmmaker since childhood, even producing a short film in 2008.
✍️ He aims to produce a feature film, acknowledging that initial projects may need to be low-budget to prove concept, as his first feature script was deemed too expensive.

Indonesian Film Industry Landscape
📈 The Indonesian film industry is currently "menyenangkan" (pleasing), with growing audience film literacy leading to greater appreciation for quality films.
📊 Films like "Sore" achieving 3 million viewers now surpass Hollywood blockbusters such as Jurassic World (2 million) and Superman (1.4 million) in Indonesia.
🔄 This shift indicates a move away from the past trend where quality films often struggled to find an audience, and signals a desire for more diverse and varied local content.
🎭 There is a noticeable "template fatigue," especially in the horror genre, pushing filmmakers and audiences towards more original and exploratory storytelling.

Jakarta World Cinema (JWC): Concept & Growth
🗓️ Entering its fourth year, JWC (Jakarta World Cinema) was founded in 2022 by Klik Film, making it the only film festival in Indonesia almost entirely funded by private sources, without government support.
🌍 JWC's concept is inspired by the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) as a "festival of the festivals," curating and showcasing award-winning films from major international festivals like Cannes, Berlin, and Venice.
🚀 The festival serves as an early exhibition platform for Klik Film's newly acquired international film rights, allowing them to screen acclaimed films (e.g., Palm d'Or winners) years before their general VOD release.
📈 JWC has seen significant growth, with the 2024 edition attracting 42,500 combined audience members (12,000 at CGV Grand Indonesia in 8 days), a substantial increase from its initial run in four cities.

JWC 2025: Film Lineup & Experience
🎞️ The 2025 festival will feature 185 films in total, including 97 screened in cinemas, over 50 online, and 30 finalists from the Klik Film Short Movie Competition.
🎬 This year's lineup includes 5 new original films from Klik Film Studios, 2 remastered Indonesian classic films, and 2 remastered international films.
🌟 Expect a more "subtle, touching, and emotional" opening film this year, a contrast to last year's "The Substance," with a curated selection of highly anticipated titles such as the Palm d'Or winner ("It Just an Accident"), "Sentimental Value," and the spiritual French/Spanish film "Sirat" (3.5 hours).
🎟️ Tickets for JWC 2025 will open for sale 7 days before the offline festival (around September 20th), offering an experience akin to regular cinema ticket purchases, including seat selection.
✅ JWC encourages a "blind buy" approach, assuring that every film is highly curated, minimizing the risk of disappointment for attendees.

Insights on Film Release & Criticism
🗓️ Kandi advocates for changing the tradition of releasing Indonesian films on Thursdays, arguing it disadvantages local productions by risking showtime cuts by Friday if performance is low, unlike international films.
🤔 This rule, without clear rationale, hinders local films from capitalizing on weekend audiences, despite Indonesian films now dominating the market.
🗣️ The shift in film criticism from traditional media to social platforms raises concerns about trustworthiness due to potential paid endorsements, creating skepticism among audiences.
💡 While anyone can offer criticism, Kandi suggests that consistent and genuine reviews by creators can build trust with their followers, who will learn to align with their taste.

Key Points & Insights
➡️ Challenge Industry Norms: Question long-standing practices like the Thursday release schedule for Indonesian films, which may inadvertently hinder their commercial success by missing the crucial weekend audience.
➡️ Prioritize Authentic Curation: For film festivals, focusing on highly curated selections (like JWC's "festival of the festivals" model) ensures quality and provides audiences with a valuable, unmissable experience.
➡️ Embrace Diverse Content: Support and promote a variety of film genres and origins (local originals, remastered classics, international award-winners) to expand audience taste and combat "template fatigue."
➡️ Cultivate Trust in Criticism: As film criticism evolves in the digital age, aim for unbiased, honest reviews to maintain credibility, as audiences become more discerning about potential paid endorsements.

📸 Video summarized with SummaryTube.com on Sep 07, 2025, 00:45 UTC