![\"Guests](\"http:\/\/34.101.188.30\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/30555182816_f3a91677ef_z.jpg\")
<\/a>Guests arrive at the UWRF Gala Opening at Antonio Blanco Museum. Photo: Anggara Mahendra, UWRF<\/p><\/div>\n
Indonesian literary luminaries Seno Gumira Adjidarma, Dewi Lestari and Eka Kurniawan delighted fans and snared the attention of unfamiliar listeners. Fearless environmental and human rights activists Agustinus Wibowo (East Java), Emmanuela Shinta (East Kalimantan), Bayu Wirayudha (Bali) and Shandra Woworuntu (West Sumatra) shook audiences to the core. The remarkable resilience of human trafficking survivor Shandra Woworuntu, whose organisation Mentari helps fellow survivors reintegrate into the community and find meaningful work, brought many to tears. After her in-conversation with revered journalist Janet Steele, an audience member tweeted: \u201cIncredible session, a heartbreaking and inspiring story that needs to be heard.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/a>Shandra Woworuntu. Photo: Wirasathya Darmaja, UWRF<\/p><\/div>\n
The 16 Emerging Indonesian Writers selected from 894 entrants to be included in the Festival\u2019s annual Bilingual Anthology \u2013 a treasure trove of Indonesian writing and essential Festival souvenir \u2013 were a prominent force throughout. Many of these rising stars lauded the linguistic diversity of Indonesia \u2013 and the urgency to preserve it \u2013 writing and speaking in Minang, Madurese and Balinese. Emerging Writer Deasy Tirayoh said at the launch of the Anthology, \u201cUbud Writers & Readers Festival shows us that Indonesian writers can rightly stand alongside the global greats.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/a>Emerging Indonesian Writers at the launch of the annual UWRF Bilingual Anthology of Emerging Indonesia Writing. Photo: Anggara Mahendra, UWRF<\/p><\/div>\n
Dalam Bahasa Indonesia was an extremely engaging panel for speakers, and learners, of Indonesian. Moderated by writer, actor and musician Ketut Yuliarsa, it featured much-loved Indonesia commentator Elizabeth Pisani, esteemed literary and academic translator Jennifer Lindsay (the long-time translator of Goenawan Mohamad\u2019s essays), and Gemi Mohawk, a poet from Palembang, and one of the Indonesian Emerging Writers.<\/p>\n
The panelists discussed the origin and rapid evolution of Indonesian, with Jennifer Lindsay addressing the marked increase in the number of Indonesians whose first language, or co-first language, is Bahasa Indonesia, rather than the local language of their mother or father. \u201cThere is a depth to Indonesian that wasn\u2019t there in the \u201870s,” she remarked.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Elizabeth Pisani and Jennifer Lindsay. Photo: Keyza Widiatmika, UWRF<\/p><\/div>\n
Indonesians\u2019 rampant device and social media addiction was unraveled in the panel Screen Addicts. Moderated by writer and journalist Michael Vatikiotis, it also featured Pisani alongside Dewi Lestari and Triyanto Triwikromo, the 2015 Tokoh Seni Pilihan Tempo<\/em>. Triwikromo was decisively negative about social media, claiming \u201cWe are entering a different kind of war. A war of thoughts, of ideas. It\u2019s virtual but we take it literally.\u201d<\/p>\n Dewi Lestari declared that Indonesians\u2019 screen addiction is a \u201cnational problem\u201d, lamenting sadly, \u201cI don\u2019t look at the trees and sky anymore. My screen keeps occupying me. It has become the everyday scenery.\u201d She did, however, speak at length about the huge benefits of social media marketing for her books, and that she has witnessed \u201ca lot of positive social communities arising from social media\u201d, even comparing her Twitter communities to arisan <\/em>[a neighbourhood lottery gathering].<\/p>\n Screen Addicts panel: Dewi Lestari, Michael Vatikiotis, Triyanto Triwikromo and interpreter, and Elizabeth Pisani. Photo: Wirasathya Darmaja, UWRF<\/p><\/div>\n Audience members take notes during Screen Addicts. Photo: Wirasathya Darmaja, UWRF<\/p><\/div>\n Intrepid and incisive independent Indonesian cinema has long been a pillar of UWRF. As well as the Film Program, which was a mini Indonesian film festival in its own right, there were two panel discussions devoted to it \u2013 Camera Obscura, which analysed Indonesia\u2019s film industry, and Cinematic Indonesia, addressing cinema\u2019s role in shaping and narrating Indonesian identity. The film screenings and both panels attracted major audiences.<\/p>\n Bringing celebrity status to the Festival were firebrand Indonesian auteurs Slamet Rahardjo, Djenar Maesa Ayu, Richard Oh and Joko Anwar, along with wunderkind filmmaker Wregas Bhanuteja. At just 23 Wregas received the Leica Cine Discovery Prize for Short Film at Cannes for Prenjak<\/em> (In the Year of Monkey<\/em>). Wregas was a firm Festival favourite \u2013 the showcase of his short films was packed and over the course of the Festival he probably snapped at least 100 selfies with adoring fans!<\/p>\n Capacity crowd at indie cinema Betelnut for the showcase of Wregas Bhanuteja’s award-winning short films. Photo: Wirasathya Darmaja<\/p><\/div>\n Wregas meets fans after the screening. Photo: Wirasathya Darmaja, UWRF<\/p><\/div>\n No UWRF wrap-up would be complete without a special mention of the veritable army of 300 volunteers working tirelessly across all areas of the Festival \u2013 as MCs, photographers, venue supervisors, technical support and as writers’ liaisons. The vast majority of them hail from across the archipelago, and many return year after year having formed lasting friendships.<\/p>\n UWRF16 volunteers. Photo: Anggara Mahendra, UWRF<\/p><\/div>\n At the closing night ceremony Janet DeNeefe noted that the UWRF \u2013\u00a0at 13 years old \u2013 is now a teenager. \u201cIt has truly found its feet in the international literary festival environment,\u201d said DeNeefe, \u201cwhile staying strong to its commitment of raising up regional voices alongside recognised names. This is evident in the increased audience diversity which, in line with the wider goals of Yayasan Mudra Swari Saraswati, to which the UWRF belongs, we\u2019re incredibly proud of, and we look forward to building on this in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n DeNeefe continued, “I applaud the brave artists and speakers who joined us this year, and the audience \u2013 from young Indonesian students to our UWRF stalwarts \u2013\u00a0who helped create the powerful, magical space for which the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival has become famous.\u201d<\/p>\n Be sure to keep an eye on the AIYA Blog in the lead-up to UWRF 2017 for special discounts on UWRF tickets for AIYA members, or perhaps you’d even like to volunteer! For more info about the Festival head to the website<\/a>.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" From human rights and politics in Asia to the role of activism and art, Ubud Writers & Readers Festival 2016 (UWRF16) traversed five days of enthralling panel discussions, dynamic performances, […]<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>