Jani overhears an argument between her sister Julia and mother Winnie; the next day, Julia leaves. A single mother supporting the family, Winnie increasingly loses her temper at home. While Jani begins to feel quiet anger, she finds solace in her grandmother, who is saving money for her own funeral. Jani secretly exchanges messages with Julia, and finally confronts Winnie. Set over four days in December as Christmas approaches, Jani Be Good follows three generations of women, highlighting the girl's mental change. Ariani Darmawan started her career in the 2000s and, after a long hiatus, made her feature directorial debut.
Born in Bandung in 1977, Ariani Darmawan is a writer-director and video artist from Indonesia. Her works have screened at festivals and exhibitions across Europe, North America, Australia, and Asia. Sugiharti Halim (2008) competed at the 2009 Clermont-Ferrand. The Anniversaries (2006) and Silenced (2004) screened at Busan and Rotterdam. After a 15-year hiatus, she returns to filmmaking in 2026 with her feature debut, Jani Be Good.
From Tokyo International Film Festival 2026, No. 39
