# Janji Joni

Janji Joni (English: Joni's Promise) is a 2005 Indonesian adventure romantic comedy film written and directed by Joko Anwar in his directorial debut. Starring Nicholas Saputra, Mariana Renata, Rachel Maryam, and Surya Saputra, the film was a commercial and critical success, earning Anwar his first Citra Award for Best Director nomination.
The film features multiple cameo appearances from well-known celebrities.

## Synopsis

Joni works as a film/reel delivery man in Jakarta. One day, while waiting for the next pick-up, Joni meets a charming girl who is going to catch a film with her boyfriend Otto. The girl would only reveal her name to Joni if he successfully delivers the reels on time. However, things do not turn out well on that day as Joni faces obstacles such as the city's notorious traffic and various people that may disrupt his task.

## Cast

* Nicholas Saputra as Joni
** Irshadi Bagas as young Joni
* Mariana Renata as Angelique
* Rachel Maryam as Voni
* Surya Saputra as Otto
* Sujiwo Tejo as Adam Subandi
* Dwiky Riza as Toni
* Gito Rollies as Pak Ucok
* Fedi Nuril as Jeffrey

### Notable cameos

* Barry Prima as a taxi driver
* Adetasha as the taxi driver's wife
* Alvin Adam as a journalist
* Jajang C. Noer as an audience of "Spoiler"
* Indra Birowo and Noella Birowo as a couple
* Ananda Mikola and Wulan Guritno as a couple
* Indra Herlambang as a man in queue
* Aming Sugandhi as a man in queue
* Ersa Mayori as the pretty girl face mask
* Lukman Sardi as Joni's father
* Tora Sudiro and Winky Wiryawan as a gay couple
* Ronal Surapradja as an assistant director
* Shandy Tumiwa as an actor
* Catherine Wilson as an actress
* Tantowi Yahya as a gynecologist

## Production

According to producer Nia Dinata, the shooting process for Janji Joni was very challenging due to unpredictable weather and also having to shoot secretly in certain areas due to the production team not having permits from local authorities. This was coupled with intimidation from local thugs who demanded payment in order for the crew to be able to shoot in certain locations. Overall, the shooting took place over 20 days.

## Release

Janji Joni received theatrical release on April 28, 2005, in Indonesia followed by Malaysia on September 1, 2005, and Singapore on November 9, 2006. It was screened at several international film festivals, including Busan International Film Festival, Deauville Asian Film Festival, and Bangkok International Film Festival.
A book containing Anwar's screenplay and production was published by Metafor titled Janji Joni: Skenario dan Catatan.

## Reception

Writing for Tempo, Leila Chudori praised the film, calling it "intelligent and calculated" while noting Anwar's "smart and sharp" directing style and singling out the performances of Nicholas Saputra and Surya Saputra.
In 2019, fourteen years since the film's release, Panos Katzothanasis reviewed the film for Asian Movie Pulse and called the film "unique" with "extremely intelligent, pointy, and ironic sense of humor" while noting that it "thrives in context, intelligent irony, and overall entertainment and is definitely among the best in Joko Anwar’s oeuvre." Katzothanasis singled out Nicholas Saputra and Sujiwo Tejo as stand-out performances in the film.
Tempo magazine named Janji Joni its pick for best film of the year.

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Recipients | Result |
| 2005 | 25th Citra Awards | Best Picture | Janji Joni | Nominated |
| 2005 | 25th Citra Awards | Best Director | Joko Anwar | Nominated |
| 2005 | 25th Citra Awards | Best Actor | Nicholas Saputra | Nominated |
| 2005 | 25th Citra Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Gito Rollies | Won |
| 2005 | 25th Citra Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Surya Saputra | Nominated |
| 2005 | 25th Citra Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Rachel Maryam | Nominated |
| 2005 | 25th Citra Awards | Best Editing | Yoga Krispratama | Won |
| 2005 | 25th Citra Awards | Best Original Score | Age Airlangga | Nominated |
| 2005 | 25th Citra Awards | Best Cinematography | Ipung Rachmat Syaiful | Nominated |
| 2005 | MTV Indonesia Movie Awards | Best Movie | Janji Joni | Won |
| 2005 | MTV Indonesia Movie Awards | Best Director | Joko Anwar | Nominated |
| 2005 | MTV Indonesia Movie Awards | Best Crying Scene | Adetasha | Nominated |
| 2005 | MTV Indonesia Movie Awards | Most Favorite Movie | Janji Joni | Nominated |
| 2005 | MTV Indonesia Movie Awards | Most Favorite Actor | Nicholas Saputra | Won |
| 2005 | MTV Indonesia Movie Awards | Most Favorite Supporting Actor | Barry Prima | Nominated |
| 2005 | MTV Indonesia Movie Awards | Most Favorite Supporting Actress | Mariana Renata | Won |
| 2005 | MTV Indonesia Movie Awards | Most Favorite Supporting Actress | Rachel Maryam | Nominated |
| 2005 | Asia-Pacific Film Festival | Best Editing | Yoga Krispratama | Won |
| 2006 | Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema | Golden Wheel | Joko Anwar | Nominated |