Compelled by a passion for the cinematic process, Ruben Harjono wrote and directed his first short film It's Real to Me (2023), which premiered at the Hollywood Blvd Film Festival and went on to screen at 12 festivals around the world. He followed this with Trying Memory (2024), which premiered at the 2024 North Bay Film Festival. In 2023, he co-founded Daisy's House Productions, a film production company based in Toronto, Ontario.
Inspired by his love of film photography, Harjono developed a love of visual storytelling and a respect for traditional hands-on approaches to filmmaking—favouring practical techniques and in-camera effects. This influences his approach when writing, where he looks to explore themes of morality, ethics, and the human psyche.
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Harjono firmly believes that movies should be seen in theatres on the big screen, the way they are meant to be seen. He values the communal aspect of film; an art form to be preserved and revered despite the modern industry's obsession with digital platforms.
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When he's not on a film set, Ruben can be found working on his next project. Yeah, he's kind of a workaholic like that.
