Search The Archive

Search the film archive

"Stunningly vivid and full of energy ... Jalanan is one of the finest portrayals of Indonesian life to emerge for outside audiences in years. Shorn of stereotypes and finely observed, it presents a gritty reality that even Indonesians find shocking." – The Culture Trip

In a city of more than 10 million people, it's easy to slip through the cracks. In Jalanan ("Streetside") documentarian Daniel Ziv follows three charismatic buskers – Boni, Ho and Titi – over a five-year period, as they navigate the economic, social, emotional and legal hurdles that come with trying to earn enough to eat on the streets of Jakarta.

Jalanan offers startling and intimate insights into Indonesia's capital – a city deeply affected by forces of globalisation and corruption. Part scathing critique, part musical, part heart-warming character study, it won the Best Documentary award at the Busan Film Festival for its deeply humane, uplifting portrait of life on Indonesia's oft-ignored urban fringes.

Daniel Ziv and screenwriter Ernest Hariyanto are festival guests.