Navigating Southeast Asia as Palimpsest

In what ways can Southeast Asia be understood as a palimpsest, a superimposed text, a twilight zone? 

A region that was once defined by its permeable borders and the pre-colonial identities they gave birth to, the terms that became ubiquitous with the rise of colonialism – East Indies, Indochina, Malay Archipelago, South East Asia –  tinkered with these flexible boundaries.

This geopolitical reading had consequences for the construction of not only regional identities but for the identification of specific zones in the subsequent ideological wars of those in power. 

Curated by Jakarta-based non-profit organization Forum Lenteng, the films in this screening program explore the ambiguities produced by these histories and the impact they continue to have on the people and politics of the region.

The programme also stands as a comprehensive survey of Forum Lenteng's activism – which manifests through educational programmes, publications, screenings, exhibitions and the Arkipel film festival – and their work to excavate how media technology can be used to weave speculative readings of the past, present and future of the region.

Alongside presentations and discussions with invited guests, we welcome you to share the knowledge, networks and perspectives on Southeast Asia that Forum Lenteng has gathered over the past 20 years.

Luthfan Nur Rochman is a filmmaker, curator, and writer, as well as an active member of Forum Lenteng and organizer of ARKIPEL, the Jakarta Documentary & Experimental Film Festival since 2018. Currently, he focuses on Milisifilem, a film production learning group through visual experimentation practices, initiated by Forum Lenteng.

Wahyu Budiman Dasta is an artist, director, archive researcher, art handler and a member of Forum Lenteng who currently lives and works in Jakarta. He is also a primary participant in the Milisifilem Collective platform and the 69 Performance Club, both initiated by Forum Lenteng.

Funded by the Fund for German film festivals de⁺ mobil of the Goethe-Institut in cooperation with the German Federal Foreign Office and the Senatsverwaltung für Kultur und Europa.