'Desember Jani' Selected for Asian Future Competition at TIFF 2026

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s film industry is once again showcasing the sharp edge of its young directors on the Asian stage. Desember Jani (Jani Be Good), directed by Ariani Darmawan, will compete against emerging talents from Japan, the Philippines, Iran, and Kazakhstan in the Asian Future category at the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF).

Produced by Palari Films, the movie is scheduled for its world premiere on Tuesday, October 27, and Thursday, October 29, 2026, at the 39th TIFF, which runs in Japan from October 26 to November 4, 2026. Desember Jani is set to hit Indonesian cinemas starting December 10, 2026.

“From the outset, we made Desember Jani to speak to audiences here (in Indonesia) to children, mothers, older and younger siblings, and families who may have experienced the difficulty of starting a conversation,” said producer Meiske Taurisia, citing a press release from the production house received in Jakarta on Friday, October 2, 2026.

“The journey to Tokyo instead shows that a very local story can also speak to audiences from different places,” added Meiske, as quoted by Antara.

Besides Desember Jani, the Asian Future competition lineup for rising talents includes EDJOP (Philippines), I’m Nothing Special Really (Iran), and Miracle Summer (Japan). Also featured are The Paper Flower (India), Saravah (Japan), Serife Tavsan (Switzerland/Türkiye), Shyrmauyq (Kazakhstan), and Silver (Iran).

Desember Jani follows 13-year-old Jani, who waits for her older sister, Julia, to return home after leaving without saying goodbye. Jani blames her mother, Winnie, a single parent who continues to work as the family’s breadwinner while carrying guilt. Over four days in December, Jani’s choices push four women in her family to begin conversations they have long avoided.

Director Ariani Darmawan developed the story for Desember Jani over three years with writer and poet Cyntha Hariadi after reading Cyntha’s short story collection, Manifesto Flora.

“For me, what’s interesting about families are precisely the small things we experience every day. There is love, anger, disappointment, pride, but sometimes we don’t know how to say it or even face it,” said Ariani.

She hopes audiences in Tokyo and Indonesia will recognize and feel parts of their own families in Jani’s. “Children can feel unheard, while parents feel everything they do is for the family. Both can love each other, yet still not understand one another,” said writer Cyntha Hariadi.

“We wanted them not to be characters who are entirely right or wrong,” said Cyntha, marking her feature-film screenwriting debut with Desember Jani.

In Desember Jani, Chempa Puteri plays Jani, Sigi Wimala portrays Winnie, Tutie Kirana appears as Oma (grandmother), and Hyori Mika plays Julia.

“Winnie feels very human to me. She loves her children, but love does not automatically make someone always know the most appropriate way to be a mother,” said Sigi.

Desember Jani is produced by Meiske Taurisia and Muhammad Zaidy. Actress Luna Maya serves as executive producer on the film, which was made with an estimated production budget of USD 747,000. ***