In today’s digital era, visual storytelling has become the universal language of the new generation. At the Australian Independent School (AIS) in Pejaten, South Jakarta, creating space for young filmmakers to explore their craft and share their work is essential. This is shown through their recent AIS Film Festival, an immersive weeks-long event that gives students a platform to amplify their voices while nurturing creativity, collaboration, and self-expression.
NOW! Jakarta spoke with Mr. Robert Cavill, Film and Media teacher at AIS Jakarta, and the driving force behind the festival. “Art doesn’t always receive the celebration it deserves,” he shares. “This is our way of giving it the spotlight.” His words are reflected in the vibrant works of students as young as 12, right up to alumni preparing for the next stage of their creative journeys.
The seeds of this festival were planted over a year ago, a result of meticulous planning and a vision shared between Cavill and his colleague Miss Puji. “We wanted to create an experience that truly appreciates their talents. It’s more than just classroom projects, it’s about putting their work out into the world,” he adds. And what better world than the broader film community, where AIS Jakarta has actively sought collaboration with other international schools, exchanging ideas, works, and even forging pathways for their students to participate in external festivals.
This outward-looking approach is quintessentially AIS Jakarta, Cavill’s commitment to cultivating a community of young filmmakers mirrors the school’s broader educational philosophy to nurture not only academic excellence but also creative daring.
It is this spirit of inclusivity that perhaps makes the festival particularly touching. “For our children with special needs, this festival is a platform to showcase talents that may otherwise go unseen,” Cavill shares. Take Chloe, for example, a young animator whose films not only graced the festival screens but clinched the Best Animation award. For her mother, Silvi Liswanda, the experience has been transformative. “What matters is that Chloe can channel her talents. The school has helped greatly in accommodating her passion,” she says, visibly moved.
The festival is student-driven to its core, with the fledgling AIS Jakarta Film Committee steering the ship. Lilymia Band, one of its passionate members, speaks candidly about the challenges they faced in pulling off such an ambitious project with just ten members. “We had to manage everything from contacting other schools to promoting the event internally, even ensuring information reached our primary students,” she says. Yet, the payoff was rewarding: 26 films submitted, spanning genres from horror to documentary, animation to coming-of-age tales. “I learned a lot about teamwork and management, these are the things one can only learn by experience.”
The scope of these stories is reflective of AIS Jakarta’s diverse student body. “We see a lot of films exploring identity, alienation, and belonging, especially from our third-culture kids,” Cavill explains. One Danish student named Freja Rønne, for instance, crafted a heartfelt narrative about Jakarta feeling like her second home. There’s a raw honesty in these stories that is both compelling and gripping.
Yet, it was Praditya Pascalis Prawito’s “Boneyard Match” a deliciously eerie horror-comedy hybrid – that caught the attention of judges and audiences alike, even winning accolades beyond the AIS Jakarta campus. For Praditya, now an alumnus, the festival became more than a creative outlet, the rigorous process of filmmaking offered him first account insights to the world of logistics, team dynamics, time management. “It was tough, but the school supported us at every step,” he notes.
This sentiment is echoed time and again by students, who cite AIS Jakarta’s well-equipped film studio, editing facilities, and hands-on mentoring as integral to their development. The school, it seems, doesn’t simply offer resources, it also offers trust. Trust in its students’ capacity to lead, to create, and to shine.
Looking ahead, Cavill harbours hopes of expanding the festival into a Jakarta-wide or even Indonesia-wide celebration of young filmmakers. It’s an ambitious dream, but certainly within reach, given the groundwork already laid by AIS Jakarta. “This country has a phenomenal film industry and incredibly talented young people,” he says. “I want them to connect, inspire, and support each other.”
The AIS Film Festival, despite still in its infancy, is quietly sowing the seeds for such a future. Fostering filmmakers is about cultivating talents and nurturing voices to ensure that these students are confident to tell their stories to the world.
Australian Independent School Jakarta
Jl. Pejaten Barat Raya No.68-69, Ragunan, Ps. Minggu, South Jakarta
T: +62 21 782 1141
E: admissions@ais-indonesia.com
ais-indonesia.com
