Balinale, Bali's International Film Festival To Adopt Toronto And Sundance Method

Balinale (Source: Antara)

BALI - Bali International Film Festival, Indonesia's premiere film festival with a 13-year history of screening hundreds of domestic and international films for thousands of film fans, will again take place on November 11–14 with free face-to-face screenings.

The festival known as Balinale will restart after a year-long lockdown, to celebrate the exhibition of selected films at the 2020 festival which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 14th edition held on the paradise island of Bali Indonesia will continue to provide entertainment with quality and thought-provoking presentations. Screenings of award-winning short films, feature films, and documentaries from Indonesia and around the world will follow the digital and face-to-face screening model.

This method has been adopted by the Toronto International Film Festival and the Sundance Film Festival. At this film festival, there is a jury competition with awards presented in several artistic and technical categories.

Members of the jury involved include director Nia Dinata, writer and director Richard Oh, cinematographer Benny Kadarharianto and cinematographer Anggi Frisca.

“This year's festival is in keeping with our ethos that film - more than any other medium - reaches large local and international audiences, captivates imagination and public interest in exploring a destination, its culture, and its people. By offering free face-to-face programs, we are positioning the festival to help welcome people back to Bali and to the cinema," said founder and president, Deborah Gabinetti, quoted from an official statement, Sunday, November 7.

Balinale believes that nothing can match a shared theatrical experience to appreciate the thousands of hours of work in filmmaking. Limited free film screenings will be screened at Park 23 Cinema XXI South Kuta, Badung, Bali.

Cinema XXI (PT Nusantara Sejahtera Raya) is the largest cinema network serving 46 cities in Indonesia. Registration is required to enter the free face-to-face screening, opening November 5th in Townscript. Meanwhile, the online program in the festival will be displayed on Book My Show.

He said Balinale will continue to play an important role in Indonesia's film development with a meeting of Indonesia's leading industry professionals in Bali on November 12 for the annual BalinaleX Film Forum, a one-day event that focuses on the commercial aspects of the film and television industry.

Indonesian filmmakers confirmed for BalinaleX include Producer Iwan Setyiabudiman, Director Lasja F. Susatyo, Richard Oh, Nia Dinata and Sim F, Cinematographers Anggi Frisca, and Benny Kadarhariarto, Screenwriter Titien Wattimena, and Actors Ario Bayu and Sha Ine Febriyanti.

Earlier this year, Balinale announced the formation of a new industry affiliate with an organization committed to connecting the world through film. The American-Indonesian Cultural & Education Foundation awarded the AICEF Prize for Cross-Cultural Filmmaking to a pair of first- and second-time filmmakers whose work strongly embraces cross-cultural themes.

The award recipient from Indonesia was named Harvan Agustriansyah for his work entitled Empu--Sugar on the Weaver's Chair. Balinale is hosting the Asian Film Awards Academy (AFAA) in Jakarta 5-7 November presenting some of the most remarkable and award-winning Hong Kong films. AFA Academy was formed in 2013 by the Busan, Hong Kong, and Tokyo Film Festivals to highlight the film industry and Asian culture.