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Personally speaking, I’ve never been too taken by the idea of remakes. Unless the story taps into something pressing and resonant—delivered with form, flair, and a texture that travels—it rarely justifies reworking in another language or context, especially when the new ensemble doesn’t belong to the same school of emotional calibration. But then, some stories carry such unmistakable warmth, sting, and specificity that you almost wish a version of them existed in your own language and cinema. In that sense, it feels almost poetic that Yandy Laurens’ “A Brother and 7 Siblings” finds its roots in the 1996 soap opera “A Sister and 7 Siblings” by the late Arswendo Atmowiloto.

The premise is deceptively saccharine—borderline melodrama, even: a young man’s dreams of pursuing his master’s are upended when he loses both his sister and brother-in-law on the same day, suddenly becoming the guardian to their children.

Netflix has unveiled its new lineup of TV shows and movies coming to the streaming platform in July 2025.

Notable movies include the Netflix originals Happy Gilmore 2 and Old Guard 2, as well as several Mission: Impossible films, Mad Max: Fury Road, the entire Jaws franchise, the first three entries in the Karate Kid series, and A Star Is Born.

Meanwhile, TV fans can check out Mr. Robot, Portlandia,the second and final season of The Sandman (split into three parts), and the long-running CBS comedy Mom, starring Allison Janney and Anna Faris.

For the documentary lovers, there are four new entries in the streamer’s Trainwreck series, with episodes about the rise and fall of American Apparel, a viral birthday party inspired by the 2012 movie Project X, the 2009 Balloon Boy hoax, and more.

July 1

17 Again

A Hundred Flowers

Annie

Antz

Attack on London: Hunting the 7/7 (Netflix Original)

Blades of Glory...

Jogja-netpac Asian Film Festival (Jaff), Indonesia’s largest and longest-running film festival, proudly announces its 20th edition, taking place from November 29 – December 6, 2025. Marking two decades of its journey, Jaff continues to serve as a premier platform for Asian filmmakers to celebrate, share, and develop the cinematic ecosystem.

Over the years, Jaff has been honored by the presence of esteemed figures such as Tsai Mingliang, renowned master director; Kim Dong-ho, founder of the Busan International Film Festival; Julien Rejl, artistic director of Cannes Directors’ Fortnight; Lee Kang Sheng, Taiwanese actor & director; Kristy Matheson, Director of BFI London Film Festival; and Park Sung Ho, Busan International Film Festival’s programmer. Their participation underscores Jaff’s significance in the global film community.

In 2024, the Indonesian box office achieved a historic milestone, surpassing 80 million admissions, with local films capturing a 65% market share. Notably, the closing film of Jaff 2024, “A Brother and 7 Siblings,” emerged as a box office hit,...

With Indonesia’s first film market taking place during Jaff, the enthusiasm for the festival was even bigger, in a way that is actually quite contagious, particularly since the overwhelming majority of the audience were in their 20s, with their attitude giving the whole thing a party essence that was quite appealing. The program was also interesting, with the local films taking a rather large part of the program, allowing for new discoveries in an industry that is dominated by horror movies, but actually produces a number of other genres. Also of interest is the fact that the local productions seem to move more towards mainstream paths, something that also dictates the festival’s program, in contrast to European film festivals who usually pick the arthouse path.

Without further ado, take a look at our coverage of Jaff

Film Review: A Brother and 7 Siblings (2024) by Yandy Laurens

Dimas Bagus Triatma...

Yandy Laurens‘s previous film, “Falling in Love Like in Movies” was one of the best films of 2023, with his approach on the ‘film-about-film’ concept being as unique as it was smart. With “A Brother and 7 Siblings” however, he opts for a rather mainstream approach, that definitely aims to please the (Indonesian) audience. Let us see how he fares.

A Brother and 7 Siblings screened at Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival

After the untimely death of his older siblings, Moko, a struggling young architect, sees his dreams for studying for a master go to waste, as he has to become a single parent for a newborn baby, along with three more siblings, Woko, Nina and Ano. At the same time, he pushes his girlfriend, Maurin, away, as she continues on a path he also hoped to follow. His life is essentially tragic, with him barely having time to get work to support his younger relatives,...

The 19th edition of Indonesia’s Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival (Jaff) was its most successful one yet and the inaugural Jaff Market proved to be an auspicious debut. Variety was present to report on both.

To put matters in context, films from Indonesia now routinely get selected and win prizes at major international festivals. The local market in Indonesia, which has the fourth-largest population in the world with 283 million, is rapidly expanding with homegrown productions accounting for a significant share of the local box office. Indonesia is also bolstering its cultural policies that include an annual $13 million international co-production grant.

Here are some key takeaways from the festival and market:

An energetic and buzzing festival and market

“Energy” and “buzzing” were the two words most bandied about during the festival and market and with good reason too. Despite running on similar dates to the 25th edition of neighboring Singapore’s...