Everywhere: Celebrating the Joy of Sharing

Indonesia Catholic Movie Festival (ICMF) 2024 Successfully Held.

The highly anticipated Indonesia Catholic Movie Festival (ICMF) 2024 was successfully held, embracing the theme “The Joy of Sharing.” The festival aimed to inspire participants to celebrate and understand joy as an integral part of faith and life. The event featured various engaging activities, including a short film competition, film screenings, an awards ceremony, film workshops led by professional speakers, and a Catholic panel discussion presented by Fr. Sisko, Fr. Rocky, and Fr. Yongki.

On October 11, 2024, ICMF officially launched the registration link for the competition and other related events. Participants’ enthusiasm was evident from the first webinar on Monday, October 28, 2024. During this opening session, Fr. Sisko Alexander, MSC, Chair of the Komsos MSC Indonesia, expressed his deep appreciation for the participants’ eagerness to participate in the festival. The Komsos MSC Indonesia team organised the festival, led by Fr. Rocky Wowor MSC as the chief organiser.

The first webinar featured an engaging discussion with Seto Putro Andaru, a prominent film actor. The following days brought more enriching sessions: scriptwriting insights by Alvino Owen Susilo on the second day, a film production workshop with seasoned producer Vincent Mancahaya on the third day, an introductory directing skills session by Rama Sidharta on the fourth day, followed by film editing techniques presented by Alfrits John Robert. The webinar series concluded with an acting workshop led by multi-talented young actress Jane Callista. The educational webinar week received a positive response, as seen by the increasing number of teams registering for the short film competition.

The Catholic panel discussions, led by Fr. Sisko, Fr. Yongki, and Fr. Rocky, further deepened the participants’ understanding of Catholic values in filmmaking. Held in the weeks following the webinar series, these discussions highlighted the importance of integrating faith-based messages into creative works.

The pinnacle of the ICMF 2024 was the Grand Awards Ceremony, held at CGV FX Sudirman, Jakarta, on December 7, 2024. The event started at 10:00 AM and was attended by competition participants, invited guests, and MSC priests serving in the Jakarta area, including members of the MSC Indonesia Provincial Council. The lively atmosphere was palpable, with participants arriving in coordinated team uniforms, showcasing their enthusiasm and solidarity.

The awards ceremony comprised several sessions, including opening speeches from the organising committee and Komsos leaders, film screenings, winner announcements, and a communal meal. In his opening remarks, Fr. Rocky reiterated the festival’s purpose and expressed hopes for an even better event next year. Similarly, Fr. Sisko applauded the organising committee’s dedication, acknowledging the success of this inaugural festival.

One of the event’s highlights was the testimony from the team behind the winning short film, “Kotak Bekal” (Lunchbox). They expressed their gratitude and hoped the festival would continue inspiring young Catholic filmmakers in Indonesia.

Concluding the ceremony, Fr. Sam Maranresy, MSC, Provincial of the MSC Indonesia, delivered a heartfelt address. He praised the festival’s success and shared his emotional experience while watching the films, admitting that some deeply moving stories brought tears to his eyes. Fr. Sam emphasised the importance of promoting a culture of life amid growing “culture of death” narratives, particularly in Indonesia. He expressed his hope that the films produced through this festival would positively impact society, encouraging people to cherish life and share love with those around them.

The ICMF 2024 has undoubtedly set a strong foundation for future Catholic film festivals in Indonesia. By nurturing young talent and integrating faith-based values into creative expression, this event has shown the power of film to inspire, educate, and bring about meaningful change.