The lineup includes films from 32 countries, and the program is said to showcase work by filmmakers from diverse backgrounds. “This year’s program has an especially high number of new works from South and East Asia,” said Lisa Haller and Jason Anderson, programmers of TIFF Short Cuts, as quoted from the festival's website. 

Produced by Yulia Evina Bhara and Amerta Kusuma, Ballad of Blood and Two White Buckets stars Ruth Marini and Muhammad Abe. The film tells the story of Ning and Mur who sell food made out of ingredients some people see as haram, and how shifts in religious beliefs imperil their livelihood. 

'Ballad of Blood and Two White Buckets' has been selected to compete in the Short Cuts program at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival. (TIFF/-)

The 15-minute film is a collaboration between KawanKawan Media, LimaEnam Films and AfterTake Post Production. It will also have its world premiere in TIFF.

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Yosep’s debut feature film, 2012's Peculiar Vacation and Other Illnesses, was selected as one of 15 films in competition in the Cineasti del Presente (contemporary filmmakers) category at the 2012 Locarno Film Festival.

His short film in 2013, A Lady Caddy Who Never Saw a Hole-in-One, received the Grand Prix award in the Short Shorts Film Festival and Asia in 2014.

Solo, Solitude, Yosep's second feature film, which tells the story of Indonesian poet Wiji Thukul’s life in hiding for political reasons, was named the best film at the Bangkok ASEAN Film Festival 2017, while he received the best director award at the 2017 Usmar Ismail Awards. Yosep was also nominated in the 2016 Indonesia Film Festival in the best director and best original screenplay categories for the film.

The 43rd annual Toronto International Film Festival is scheduled to take place from Sept. 6-16. (wng)