John Badalu, an Indonesian film producer and festival programmer who advocated for LGBTQ+ rights, has died aged 53.
Badalu died at his home in Bali on Tuesday (May 21), according to social media posts made by friends and colleagues. No cause of death was given.
As a producer, Badalu was known for Anucha Boonyawatana’s Thai drama Malila: The Farewell Flower, which won the Kim Jiseok Award at Busan in 2017; and Khozy Rizal’s Basri & Salma In A Never-Ending Comedy, Indonesia’s first ever short selected for Cannes in 2023, which he also co-wrote.
He also collaborated with directors including Mouly Surya on What They Don’t Talk About When They Talk About Love, which won a string of awards after debuting at Sundance and Rotterdam in 2013; Razka Robby Ertanto’s Ave Maryam; and Jeremias Nyangoen’s Women From Rote Island, which bowed at Busan in 2023 and was Indonesia’s submission for the Oscars.
A programmer and delegate for festivals including the Berlinale, Busan, Sheffield Doc/Fest, Tallinn Black Nights and Shanghai, he founded the Q! Film Festival in 2002, Indonesia’s first and biggest ever LGBTQ+ film festival, which ran for 15 years.
The festival, which began in Jakarta before expanding to several other cities, became a leading light for queer cinema in Indonesia, a predominantly Muslim country. It was targeted by masked Islamic protesters in 2010, who threatened to burn down a venue if screenings went ahead. While some screenings were cancelled, Badalu stood firm and the event continued.
Born in 1971 into a Chinese Indonesian family in South Sulawesi, Badalu recounted how he experienced discrimination from a young age as an ethnic minority, a Buddhist and a gay man. After expressing an early interest in film, he studied English, French and marketing before moving to Canada as part of a student exchange program.
On his return to Indonesia, Badalu worked in advertising and communications, and became a freelance journalist and film critic. From 2000, he worked with various European cultural centres in Jakarta to coordinate cultural events, including UK and Italian film festivals, becoming operations manager of Jakarta International Film Festival.
After founding Q! Film Festival in 2002, he travelled to international film festivals as a presenter and programmer, promoting Indonesian films to audiences abroad and serving on festival juries, before moving into producing. Most recently, he had worked as program development director at Fesbul, a Jakarta-based short film festival.
A message shared by friends on Facebook said: “With profound sadness and heavy heart, we announce that our beloved friend, John Badalu, has passed away… Thank you for the prayers, love, and beautiful memories shared with John.”
Badalu’s cremation is due to take place in Bali tomorrow (May 23).
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