📍 Jakarta – Aswinnews.com
🗓️ Tuesday, October 7, 2025
✍️ Written by: Ine
🗞️ Edited by: Kenzo – Aswinnews.com Editorial Team – Sharp, Accurate, Reliable, Balanced, and Up-to-Date
The Madani International Film Festival proudly announces its 2025 program. The 8th edition of the festival, Madani Fest 2025, continues its tradition of showcasing films and issues emerging from the Muslim world. The press conference was held on Tuesday (October 7, 2025) at the Small Theater, Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM), Jakarta.
As part of the Citra Program of Jakarta Arts Center (TIM), Madani Fest 2025 becomes a special celebration within the “Jakarta 500 Years” commemoration. In line with the festival’s four core dimensions — Living Islam, Civic, Civilization, and City — and supported by the Jakarta Provincial Department of Culture, this year’s edition presents the “Jakarta Banget” program, highlighting the city’s cultural pulse and urban identity.
Throughout the festival, dozens of urban communities will take part in discussions, expert classes, and idea-sharing forums. According to Mochamad Miftahulloh Tamary, Head of the Jakarta Cultural Department, Madani Fest 2025 is expected to strengthen cultural networks, enrich perspectives, and affirm Jakarta’s role as a living city that continues to build its identity through tradition, community participation, and artistic expression.
Theme: “Misykat” (A Niche of Light)
Running from October 8–12, 2025, Madani Fest 2025 adopts the theme “Misykat” (A Niche of Light) — a reflection on humanity’s response to the “dark clouds” of conflict, political turmoil, and acts of violence around the world.
The festival also highlights one of today’s major global concerns — the ongoing genocide of Palestinians by Israel — which has reached its second year without resolution.
Renowned director Garin Nugroho explained that Misykat invites people to focus, like a beam of light, on the pursuit of a better life.
“It’s time to illuminate life with the films we present in this festival,” said Garin.
Garin, who also serves on the Madani Board, will be featured in the festival’s Retrospective Program, curated by pop culture observer and film critic Hikmat Darmawan. The retrospective includes Garin’s acclaimed works such as Mata Tertutup, Serambi, Rindu Kami Padamu, Tepuk Tangan, and his latest film, Nyanyi Sunyi Dalam Rantang.
Festival Highlights
According to Festival Director Ahmad Rifki, this year’s edition will screen 95 films from 24 countries across several venues — Taman Ismail Marzuki, Epicentrum XXI, Metropole XXI, and BINUS University.
Among them are 16 finalists of the Madani Shorts Film Competition, selected from 1,711 submissions by filmmakers worldwide. These finalists will be judged by an international jury panel: Philip Cheah (Singapore), Sajid Farda (UK), and Natalie Stuart (UK).
Focus Country: The Sahel Plateau
This year, Madani Fest spotlights The Sahel Plateau as its Focus Country. Program curators Bunga Siagian and Yuki Aditya emphasize the importance of looking toward Africa — a continent often misunderstood due to Western media dominance that frames it merely as poor and developing.
The Sahel Program features five films from Burkina Faso, Senegal, Mali, and Nigeria, accompanied by expert discussions and live performances by musicians Panji Sakti, Almamosca, Islamic preacher Habib Husein Ja’far Al Hadar, and Malaysian comedian Rizal van Geyzel.
A Cultural Movement Beyond Cinema
Putut Widjanarko, Chairman of the Madani Board, highlighted the festival’s evolution beyond a mere annual film event:
“Madani Fest has grown into a cultural movement that uses cinema as a platform for dialogue and human connection.”
Meanwhile, Ekky Imanjaya, Chairman of the Madani Foundation, explained that the festival’s activities are grouped under two main umbrellas — Film Screenings and IDEAS Programs. The latter aims to cultivate ideas and civic activation that strengthen the dimensions of citizenship, urban life, and civilization.
📝 Editor’s Note:
With Misykat as its guiding light, the 8th Madani International Film Festival stands as a beacon of hope — a cinematic movement that bridges faith, art, and humanity in times of global uncertainty.
