Most people don't get a Getty Images photographer at their movie premiere. Imanuel Bolaman did  and he's not from Los Angeles or Jakarta. He's from Ambon, a city most Indonesians have never used as a film location, let alone a launchpad to New York.

His short film Autosave just had its World Premiere at the 25th New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF), screening at Film at Lincoln Center on July 12, 2026. It's a 15-minute drama about loss, memory, and a father-son relationship  and it's now sitting on a program next to filmmakers from Taiwan, China, Canada, and the U.S.

At a glance

• Film: Autosave, 15 minutes, Indonesia, 2025
• Director: Imanuel Bolaman (from Ambon)
• Executive producer: M. Khaerun Zuhry Radjilun (from Ternate)
• Premiere: July 12, 2026, Film at Lincoln Center, New York — World Premiere, part of the shorts lineup at NYAFF's 25th edition
  
  

What is Autosave and why is it at NYAFF?

Autosave is a narrative short film directed by Imanuel Bolaman, from Indonesia, that had its World Premiere at the 25th New York Asian Film Festival in 2026. The film runs 15 minutes and centers on themes of loss, memory, and the bond between a father and his child, according to the production's own promotional materials.

NYAFF itself is not a small showcase. It's been called "the best film festival in New York" by The Village Voice, and "arguably the world's best-curated program of new and classic Asian cinema" by IndieWire. Launched in 2002, it was the first North American festival to champion filmmakers like Bong Joon Ho and Park Chan-wook before they became global names. Getting a slot here, especially a World Premiere slot, is a real signal  not a participation trophy.

Who made Autosave, and where are they from?
This is the detail that makes the story land differently for Indonesian audiences. Bolaman is from Ambon, in Maluku. His executive producer, M. Khaerun Zuhry Radjilun, is from Ternate, in North Maluku. Neither city is a traditional film industry hub Indonesia's film scene is heavily centered on Jakarta and Bandung.

That's the counterintuitive fact worth sharing: a film crew built around Eastern Indonesian talent, working with a production outfit tagged as @adeptlab on Instagram, landed a World Premiere slot at a festival that has previously introduced Bong Joon Ho and Takashi Miike to American audiences.

What is the film festival like in person?
NYAFF's 25th edition runs from July 10 to July 26, 2026, across five New York venues  Film at Lincoln Center, SVA Theatre, IFC Center, Anthology Film Archives, and the Korean Cultural Center New York. The full lineup includes 69 feature films and 26 short films across 49 screenings at Film at Lincoln Center alone. Autosave screened as part of that shorts lineup, in a program grouped around themes of loss and rediscovery.

How much does it cost to watch a film at NYAFF?
Standard screening tickets at Film at Lincoln Center are priced at $20 for the general public, $17 for students, seniors (62+), and persons with disabilities, and $15 for FLC and NYAFF members. Premium screenings run higher. For most shorts programs, including the one Autosave was part of, the standard pricing tier applies.