Director Eddie Kahyono’s latest film, “My Mother,” whose 2014 drama “City” won the Piara Sitra Award for Best Picture at the Indonesian Film Festival, is a work about a widow who wants to see her daughter, who was sentenced to death for the murder of her employer in Saudi Arabia, and has been selected as a work in progress for the JAFF Future Project.
The Indonesian production is directed by Kahyono and produced by Tika Braver through production companies ANP Talenta Media, Memories Light Pictures, Yasa Buana Films, Nokkonwood Ink and Sasha & Co Productions. Produced by Ni, Eddie Kayono and Isabel Grachant, it is one of ten Asia-Pacific titles selected for the JAFF Future Project at this year’s JAFF Market in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
“My Mother” is about a widow who attempts to reunite with her daughter, who was sentenced to death for the murder of her employer in Saudi Arabia. However, the daughter never forgave her mother for her past betrayal and refused to meet her.
This project stems from a very personal memory for Kahyono. “My mother once told me that she left her village for the city in search of a better life. Those words resonated with me,” says the director. “That memory inspired me to study migrant workers, who dream of solving their family’s financial problems by working abroad.”
During his research, the director was surprised by the domestic problems faced by people working overseas. “What surprised me was that people working abroad had problems with their families in Indonesia,” he says. “Some have suffered from domestic violence or been forced into marriage by their parents to cover debts.”
This led Kahyono to shift his focus to his family in Indonesia. “Then I became interested in the families they left behind,” he says. “Parents, mothers and fathers, what happened to your children and how did they feel after they left? This story involves separation, loss, and questions about how to leave.”
The director emphasizes the importance of a broader story that goes beyond individual characters. “This film is about a mother’s impossible choices, the strength of the human spirit, and the desperate reality faced by female migrant workers,” Kahyono says.
At JAFF Market, our production team explores important industry partnerships. “The film market is extremely important to the film industry,” say filmmakers. “JAFF Market is about increasing exposure, co-financing, distributing and collaborating with festivals. And, of course, how the My Mother film project is perceived by the wider public.”
The JAFF Future Project is designed to serve as a development platform and co-creation hub, advancing independent works towards completion and distribution. The initiative will run from November 29th to December. It was held at Yogya Expo Center in Yogyakarta as part of the broader 20th anniversary celebrations of the Yogya Netpac Asian Film Festival.
