Kanya Iwana, an Indonesian multidisciplinary artist making her feature directorial debut, has “Ibu” selected for the JAFF Future Project, about three generations of women wrestling with inherited identity in 2011 Yogyakarta.
The Indonesia-U.S. co-production, directed by Iwana and produced by Zack Rice through production company Feed You Films, is among 10 titles selected for the JAFF Future Project at this year’s JAFF Market in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
“Ibu” follows Maya, a formidable Javanese woman who once dreamed of becoming a writer but subsumed her ambitions under obligation and tradition. Now a widow, she parents through manipulation disguised as protection, resenting her daughters for chasing freedoms she was taught she could never claim.
Her eldest daughter Tash fled to Los Angeles years ago, juggling single motherhood with an uncertain creative career. When Maya’s husband Arief dies, Tash returns home to face not only her domineering mother but her commanding grandmother Dewi and half-sister Inez, a 16-year-old navigating the same emotional minefield Tash fled. Everything ruptures during Arief’s Seventh-Day Prayer Ceremony when Maya publicly unravels, confessing fears she has never voiced.
“I’ve always been so interested in exploring the atlas of family dynamics, whether it is a traditional Indonesian family (often inspired by my own upbringing) or a tenuously liberal American family,” Iwana says. “As I become a parent myself and have to do a lot of inward thinking, I’ve become more inspired to explore narratives that surround the complications of parenting — to break generational curses while maintaining valuable customs.”
The director is inspired not just as a mother, but also as a daughter. “At 16, I moved away from home and has been away ever since,” she says. “This story mirrors so much of my feelings towards that part of my life and my experiences of homecoming: from grief to pride. Writing such strong and complex female characters as the core of ‘Ibu’ has become somewhat of a beautiful, nostalgic, and healing process.”
“‘Ibu’ illustrates the nuances of how loss, traditions, and stigma can lead to generational trauma,” Iwana says. “It explores the consequences violent secrets can have as they are kept from each other in a family unit. ‘Ibu’ zeroes in on our protagonist, Tash, as she works towards escaping that trauma — although it catches up to her.”
Breaking the cycle isn’t always smooth and perfect. “Her desperation to break that cycle actually puts her in the position she wants to avoid, which is a flawed but relatable human experience,” she says. “Breaking the cycle isn’t always smooth and perfect, but the journey to giving yourself grace is a beautiful one. At the end of the day, ‘Ibu’ showcases an array of different textures that spotlight the same thing: the desire to be loved.”
Producer Rice adds, “I launched Feed You Films with my producing partner, Christine Woods, to champion debut features from experienced directors who have the craft and vision — but haven’t yet been given the support or resources to make their first feature. Kanya Iwana is exactly the filmmaker we built this company for.”
Rice was first introduced to Iwana through her work as a photographer and commercial director. “She demonstrated a singular aesthetic and a cinematic eye that touches your soul,” he says. “But it wasn’t until I read her screenplay for ‘Ibu’ that I truly understood the scope of her talent. The honesty and emotional precision in her writing floored me.”
To validate the vision, Feed You Films produced a proof-of-concept short titled “Home.” “Kanya once again exceeded every expectation,” Rice says. “She arrived prepared, intentional, and completely in command of her set — capturing every shot she needed without wasting time or resources on unneeded coverage. She led a mostly female crew with sensitivity, kindness, and total clarity, and everyone on set rallied behind her vision.”
At JAFF Market, the team’s top priority is securing remaining production equity to greenlight the film. “The JAFF Future Project program is uniquely positioned to connect filmmakers with investors who understand Southeast Asian stories and want to champion bold new voices,” the filmmakers say.
They’re also seeking distribution and sales partners who understand both the Indonesian market and international art-house space. “As the only U.S.-based filmmakers selected for the Future Project program this year, joining the Indonesian film community is essential to us,” they say. “This film can only succeed as a true cross-cultural collaboration.”
JAFF Future Project functions as both a development platform and co-production hub, designed to advance independent works toward completion and distribution. The initiative runs Nov. 29-Dec. 1 at the Jogja Expo Center in Yogyakarta as part of the broader 20th-anniversary celebration of the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival.