The 3rd annual BALINALE International Film Festival took place on 20 – 25 October screening 25 films from 12 countries to record audience numbers. This year the festival attracted over 3,500 spectators (a 200% increase from the previous year).

BALINALE 2009 opened with the sold out screening of award winning Australian claymation film "MARY AND MAX" by director Adam Elliot and closed with a free screening of the award winning Indonesian children’s animated film "MERAIH MIMPI" by Nia Dinata. The film was introduced by award winning Indonesian actors and Friends of the Festival Jajang C. Noer and Didi Petet to an enthusiastic young audience.

WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS

BALINALE’s Young Indonesia Film Circle educational programs are conducted by Indonesian and international professionals to promote inspired learning and create future career opportunities. This year we held five workshops and seminars free of charge to 500 fledgling filmmakers. BALINALE is committed to discovering new talent and continues to contribute to developing Indonesia’s film industry.

• PROFESSIONAL ACTING with Didi Petet
  One of the nation’s finest actors whose work includes"JERMAL, KABAYAN, CATATAN SI BOY and PETUALANGAN SHERINA," conducted a three day intensive workshop that put students through the rigors of voice, pacing, movement and dialogue.
• HOW TO DEVELOP A SCREENPLAY with Davina Belling
  Davina Belling has co-produced numerous films over her 38 years including Norman Jewison’s "OTHER PEOPLE’S MONEY" and Franco Zeffirelli’s "TEA WITH MUSSOLINI." ‘A writer must be someone who has a willingness to study people and to translate emotion to the page’, says Davina Belling.

 

• TRAILS AND TRIBULATIONS OF PRODUCING with Davina Belling
  How to pitch it, how to sell it - the business of writing for the screen. Davina Belling is founder of Film and General. The company most recently won the BAFTA award for Best Children’s Drama with "THE GIBLET BOYS."
• INTRODUCTION TO FILMMAKING by Salman Aristo
  Award winning script writer of "LASKAR PELANGI" and director of "PASANGAN BARU", shares his experiences, struggles and successes of filmmaking.
• CHILDREN’S CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP by Ananta Wijaya
  In conjunction with Ubud Writers and Readers Festival, the workshop focused on developing strong, interesting and memorable characters.

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

• Press Conference (Sahid Jaya, Jakarta) with Festival Chairperson Rima Melati, Friend of the Festival Didi Petet, Festival Director Deborah Gabinetti and Salman Aristo.
• Exclusive Welcome Dinner at the Four Seasons Resort, Jimbaran
• ‘Standing room only’ Opening Night After Party held at Planet Hollywood
• Gala Closing Night Party and Awards Presentation at AYANA Resort and Spa

FILM HIGHLIGHTS

"INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS" (Quentin Tarantino – USA) Feature film that weaves together the infamous, oppressed, real and larger-than-life stories of WWII. Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) organizes a group of Jewish American soldiers to perform swift, shocking acts of retribution. Later known to their enemy as ‘the basterds,’ Raine’s squad is on a mission to take down the leaders of the Third Reich.

"MARY AND MAX" (Adam Elliot – Australia) Clayography feature film from Academy Award® winning writer/director Adam Elliot. A journey of friendship spanning 20 years and 2 continents between two pen-pals from very different backgrounds: Mary Dinkle a chubby lonely 8-year-old from Melbourne, Australia; and Max Horovitz a severely obese, 44-year-old Jewish man from New York City. (2009 Sundance Film Festival Opening Night Selection).

"VALENTINO: THE LAST EMPEROR" (Matt Tyrnauer - USA) Documentary traces the life of legendary fashion designer Valentino Garavani in the wake of his exit in 2008 from the company he founded more than 45 years ago. The film is an intimate, engaging and very funny fly-on-the-wall exploration of the singular world of one of Italy’s richest and most famous men. The film documents the colourful and dramatic closing act of Valentino.

"DRUPADI" (Riri Riza - Indonesia) Film adaptation of the classic Mahabharata written by Laila S. Chudori, the story tells of the dynastic struggle for the Hastinapura throne when one fateful night Yudistira gambles away all his wealth, including Drupadi, the daughter of King Drupada of Panchala, born from fire, she was the most beautiful and desirable woman of that time.

Audience Choice Award Winners

As many as 69 Short, Features and Documentary Films were submitted to the festival.

• Best Documentary
  "STILL BILL" (Damani Baker and Alex Vlack) USA
• Best Feature Film
  "TOKYO SONATA" (Kiyoshi Kurosawa) Japan
• Best Short Film
  "DARAH DAN DUPA" (Carl Valiquet) Indonesia
• Best Overall Film
  "STILL BILL" (Damani Baker and Alex Vlack) USA

>> Download the BALINALE 2009 Program (PDF file)