Ira Setiawati is an Indonesian filmmaker based in Java. Born in Jayapura, Papua, her roots are deeply anchored in traditional Javanese culture. Her highly educated family lineage — connected to early figures of Indonesian education and cultural independence — shaped her values of freedom, cultural pride, and respect for the land.
Based in Yogyakarta since her youth, Ira is a traditional dancer and a devoted admirer of wayang kulit shadow puppetry, whose all-night performances strongly influence her sense of rhythm, narration, and time. She approaches cinema as a continuation of these living traditions, where sound, gesture, and presence carry meaning.
Rooted in Javanese tradition, and shaped by formative years in Papua and time living in Cambodia, Ira works fluidly across Indonesia’s island cultures, building trust beyond regional and religious boundaries.
Self-taught as a filmmaker, she developed her cinematic language outside formal schools, guided by decades of passionate film viewing across Indonesian, Asian, and international cinema. Rather than following established rules, she works intuitively, drawing inspiration from both popular and auteur films, Eastern and Western traditions, and contemporary Asian cinema rooted in spirituality and contemplation.
Alongside filmmaking, Ira has led community-based projects in organic food production and artisanal handicrafts, combining cultural preservation with practical, sustainable livelihoods during her time in Cambodia.
After returning to Java, she became actively engaged in environmental education, plastic waste awareness, sustainable farming, and community-based cultural initiatives. In Gunung Sewu, she co-developed ecological projects combining local knowledge, architecture, and permaculture, and later established Jiwa Laut, a non-profit supporting environmental, cultural, and social programs through community-based initiatives.
Her first documentary short, Plastic Tourism (18 min., 2024), received international recognition and multiple awards. Her debut mid-length documentary, Jiwa Gunung Sewu (52 min., 2026), reflects her long-term engagement with ecology, spirituality, and lived cultural transmission.
