Indonesian animation IP Desa Timun gained significant attention after being featured at the Universal Kids Film Festival in Istanbul, Turkey, held from 24–29 October 2025, and the Kineko International Film Festival 2025, which took place from 31 October to 4 November in Tokyo, Japan.
In these events, Desa Timun showcase an animation style that is called by the creators as aniwayang. This style combines hand-drawn animation with Javanese wayang art, which creates a unique animation look that shows how the flat wayang art is used in animation form. This style was created by the creator and director of Desa Timun, Daud Nugraha.
In Istanbul, Desa Timun was included in the official selection of the 14th edition of the children’s film festival. The event, held at Yildiz Technical University School, gathered more than a hundred participants, consisting of children and teachers. Throughout the programme, audiences enjoyed the aniwayang screening, learned about the concept behind it, and were invited to try the dalang experience as well as a paper-wayang workshop.
After its appearance in Turkey, Desa Timun continued its cultural mission in Japan. At the Kineko International Film Festival, one of the largest children’s film festivals in the country. The team set up a booth featuring exclusive merchandise and interactive activities. According to the Desa Timun team, the booth attracted many families, making it one of the festival’s most popular stops for visitors eager to explore Indonesian culture.
The creative atmosphere deepened with a workshop where participants coloured goat-hide wayang figures. Attendees were guided to paint a cat character in the festival’s signature Kineko style using acrylic paint. There is also a meet-and-greet session with one of Desa Timun’s mascot characters, Cili.
The Indonesian Anime Times | Source
