Make the best of your JIFFest!

JIFFest is soon to come! It will be an event attended by numerous crowds, most of them are hardcore moviegoers. Competition for tickets won't be easy. Be fast or your seats taken. I am here to give you a few tips on how to manage the competition, how to arrange clashing movie
schedules, and how to choose the right movies........

1. So far JIFFest always helds its event in December. When it comes to November, be sure to check JIFFest website www.jiffest.org routinely. As soon as they publish fix schedule, check for ticketing. It will give you information on how and where you can buy ticket. My advice: always be earlybirds to secure your position. JIFFest's popular movie tends to sell out first few days.

2. Before going to the locket, make sure you have viewed the whole schedule. If you want to watch 8 JIFFest movies, you have to arrange the day and time to avoid clashing. Usually JIFFest airs a movie two times, so there will always be alternatives. But if it is really not possible, then you have to pick movies!

3. Picking a movie. Deciding which movie to watch and which to eliminate needs a strategy. You don't want a wrong choice. Only two things you must keep in mind: movies with more awards and movies that are from countries except US. It's easy to find the DVD for US's movie but it's not for movies from non-Hollywood countries. As for me, I always sacrifice Hollywood movies in JIFFest due to the previous consideration.

And here's my extra tip. It's really not my field but I know the big picture. It's about.....

4. Outfit to JIFFest! Attending JIFFest, you will find fellow moviegoers, idealist, down-to-earth/lowprofile people and activists. So always dress casually! It's okay to be a little eccentric. But avoid dressing formally and fancy.

And one more thing that will really "make the best of your JIFFest":

5. Meet the faces of movie industry! JIFFest invites Indonesian directors and some foreign directors. JIFFest is not exclusive for JIFFest's attendant to meet them. So pay attention to JIFFest events! Usually it's in the last pages of the booklet. Meeting the man that produces award-worthy movie will definitely make your JIFFest an event to remember.

Me, (director) Nia Dinata, Marvin Julian