Director Loeloe Hendra Presents Migrant Worker Drama 'Tale of the Land' at JAFF Future Project.

Filmmaker Loeloe Hendra, whose debut feature Tale of the Land received the Fipresci Award at the Busan International Film Festival and screened at the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival, has a new project chosen for the JAFF Future Project. Titled A Life Full of Holes, the drama centers on the struggles of Indonesian migrant workers.

The film, produced in Indonesia by Hendra along with Indra Yudhitya and Dewi Umaya under the banner of Onomastika Films, is one of ten Asia-Pacific projects selected for this years JAFF Future Project at the JAFF Market in Yogyakarta.

Storyline

A Life Full of Holes tells the story of Sula, a 17-year-old girl whose mother, Lastri, leaves to work in Taiwan while her father abandons the family. Sula dreams of becoming a popular content creator but is forced to care for her two younger siblings and work in a small shop with minimal support. Her fears intensify when an ambulance delivers the body of a migrant worker and her mother becomes unreachable.

After eviction due to her fathers debts, Sula and her siblings move in with an indifferent uncle. Determined to find her mother, Sula enlists the help of her boyfriend, Agus, and contacts Sri, a senior migrant worker. Eventually, she secures a chance to go to Taiwan with Cak Nan, a musician invited to perform there.

In Taiwan, Sula discovers her mother is frail and hiding a painful secret: she is in an abusive relationship and has a child. Following Lastris tragic death at work, Sula returns home carrying grief and her new sibling. She eventually becomes a famous content creator but cannot restore her familys lost unity.

Directors Vision

For Hendra, the project is deeply personal. I grew up without parents. Both my parents worked abroad as migrant workers, he says. This film gives a voice to children left behind, facing stigma and emotional hardship.

Hendra draws from his own experience as a child of migrant workers, highlighting the emotional survival and societal perception of such children. The title A Life Full of Holes symbolizes the hardships and broken cycles of migrant families, including separation, abandonment, and abuse. This film aims to raise awareness, honor resilience, and inspire a more compassionate environment, he adds.

Production and Cultural Approach

The producers emphasize the importance of the subject matter, noting that Indonesia has 9.2 million migrant workers, nearly half of whom are undocumented and vulnerable to exploitation. The story captures the human side behind these numbers: children without parental care, families disrupted, and women struggling abroad.

Filming will take place in Java and Taiwan, with local actors to preserve authenticity. At the JAFF Market, the team seeks connections with investors and international co-production partners to bring the project to life. Taiwan is highlighted as a key location due to its significant Indonesian migrant worker population.

The filmmakers hope the project sparks meaningful dialogue on migration and represents Indonesian voices on a global scale. Currently, A Life Full of Holes is in the development stage, with the JAFF Future Project providing support for independent works toward completion and distribution. The initiative ran Nov. 29Dec. 1 at the Jogja Expo Center, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival.

Author’s Analysis: Why This Project Matters

With A Life Full of Holes selected for the JAFF Future Project, I see this work as a continuation of my long-term focus on stories shaped by labor migration and its consequences. The project aligns with my previous film trajectory while expanding the scope to address intergenerational impact and cross-border realities.

The narrative reflects documented conditions faced by Indonesian migrant workers and their families. Indonesia has an estimated 9.2 million migrant workers, many of whom leave children behind without stable support systems. This film is grounded in those realities, particularly the emotional and social effects on children who grow up in the absence of parents.

From a production standpoint, development through the JAFF Future Project provides critical access to regional partners and international co-production networks. Shooting in both Java and Taiwan is essential for accuracy, given Taiwan’s role as a major destination for Indonesian migrant labor.

This project is not positioned as fiction detached from context, but as a factual reflection of structural issues surrounding migration, labor vulnerability, and family separation. The intention is to contribute to public discussion and ensure these experiences are represented clearly and responsibly on an international platform.

Sources:

• ‘Tale of the Land’ Director Loeloe Hendra Brings Migrant Worker Drama to JAFF Future Project