The JAFF Future Project, an integral development platform and co-production hub at the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival (JAFF) Market in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, has unveiled its selection of 10 Asia-Pacific titles. Among these are three compelling projects: Park Ki-yong's supernatural thriller “Ghost Island,” Adriyanto Dewo's psychological horror “Evil Underground,” and Kanya Iwana's multi-generational drama “Ibu.” These films collectively showcase the rich diversity and thematic depth emerging from Asian cinema, leveraging the JAFF platform to secure partnerships and advance their development.

“Ghost Island,” a South Korea-Malaysia-Indonesia co-production directed by Park Ki-yong and produced with Malaysian Ho Yuhang of Paperheart Sdn Bhd, is a supernatural thriller that intertwines parallel Cold War massacres in Korea and Indonesia. The narrative follows Ayu, an Indonesian woman, as she arrives on snow-covered Jeju Island searching for her missing husband, Herman. Partnering with Korean ex-marine Inho, Ayu uncovers a chilling connection between Herman’s disappearance and Jeju’s suppressed violence, specifically the Jeju 4.3 massacre. Upon returning to Bali, she discovers Herman was a seven-year-old victim of the 1965-66 Bali mass killings, whose spirit now seeks a descendant of the perpetrators to witness the truth. The film functions as a spiritual detective story, where history itself acts as a ghost, exploring the persistence of memory and the unseen links between two idyllic islands scarred by state violence and silence.

Director Park Ki-yong, known for “Motel Cactus” and “Camel(s)” and former chair of the Korean Film Council, was drawn to the project by the contrasting ways Jeju and Bali acknowledge their violent pasts. He noted, “Jeju’s wounds have finally begun to be recognized, studied, and mourned. Bali’s remain largely unspoken, hidden in fear, denial, and inherited silence.” “Ghost Island” emerges from this silence, aiming to give voice to what history sought to erase, allowing the unseen and unspoken to surface through love, memory, and the courage to witness. The filmmakers emphasize that the project, rooted in Asian history and cross-border storytelling, seeks creative, cultural, and financial partners at JAFF Market to enhance its global resonance.

Indonesian filmmaker Adriyanto Dewo presents “Evil Underground,” an Indonesian psychological horror project produced by Perlita Desiani and Tina Arwin of Relate Films. The story centers on estranged sisters Dian and Mirna who, along with friends, venture into the lowest basement of an old trade center for a viral ritual after a midnight horror screening. When Dian vanishes, the basement transforms into a looping, psychological trap where an entity mimics the dead, feeding on their buried guilt. To survive, the group must confront long-avoided secrets, tensions, and betrayals, as the intensifying darkness hunts whatever they refuse to face. The film uses horror as a lens to examine contemporary youth anxiety and how unspoken pain can morph into jealousy, resentment, and destructive behavior.

Dewo, acclaimed for “Tabula Rasa” and “Homecoming,” drew inspiration from two personal experiences: a claustrophobic moment in a mall basement and witnessing sisters process grief differently after their father's death. He sought to blend the unsettling feeling of being lost in an urban space with the emotional complexity of sibling grief, exploring how young people often hide pressure and loss behind superficiality. The producers were attracted to the project for its ability to frame urgent social issues within an “elevated horror concept,” reflecting the emotional climate of today’s youth. At JAFF Market, the team aims to forge strategic partnerships to elevate the project’s global reach, introducing “Indonesia’s new flavor of horror” by showcasing a terrifying psychological thriller focused on social issues, while seeking co-producers, distributors, and international sales agents.

Making her feature directorial debut, Indonesian multidisciplinary artist Kanya Iwana brings “Ibu,” an Indonesia-U.S. co-production produced by Zack Rice of Feed You Films. Set in 2011 Yogyakarta, the drama explores three generations of Javanese women grappling with inherited identity. The formidable Maya, a widow who suppressed her writing ambitions under tradition, parents through manipulative protection, resenting her daughters' pursuit of freedoms she never claimed. Her eldest, Tash, returns from Los Angeles after her father Arief's death, confronting Maya, her commanding grandmother Dewi, and half-sister Inez. The family's emotional tensions rupture during Arief’s Seventh-Day Prayer Ceremony, where Maya publicly confesses her deepest fears. The film illustrates how loss, traditions, and stigma perpetuate generational trauma, focusing on Tash's challenging journey to escape this cycle, acknowledging that the path to breaking free is often flawed but relatable.

Iwana’s interest lies in exploring family dynamics and the complications of parenting, particularly the challenge of breaking generational curses while preserving valuable customs, drawing inspiration from her own upbringing and experiences of homecoming. Producer Zack Rice launched Feed You Films to champion debut features from experienced directors like Iwana, whose unique aesthetic, cinematic eye, and emotional precision in writing deeply impressed him. A proof-of-concept short, “Home,” further validated her vision and command. At JAFF Market, the team's priority is securing remaining production equity for greenlighting, alongside distribution and sales partners familiar with both the Indonesian market and the international art-house space. They emphasize the necessity of cross-cultural collaboration, particularly as the only U.S.-based filmmakers selected for the program this year.

These three projects, along with other selected titles, exemplify the JAFF Future Project's mission to serve as a vital platform for advancing independent works toward completion and distribution. The initiative, running from November 29 to December 1 at the Jogja Expo Center, is a key component of the broader 20th-anniversary celebration of the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival, fostering significant opportunities for filmmakers across Asia and beyond.