“There is nothing like the shared audience experience to do justice to the thousands of hours of craftsmanship involved in the creation of a film.”
BALI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Festival Team
Our Story
Established in 2007, the Bali International Film Festival, also known locally as Balinale, enjoys international recognition for its diverse programming, which encompasses Indonesian and international independent and award-winning fiction, documentary, feature, and short films.
Furthermore, the festival earns recognition for its high-quality events that bring filmmakers from around the world together, allowing them to collaborate and share their insights. This collaboration significantly contributes to our goal of creating a global creativity gathering.
Additionally, the festival serves as a vital platform for promoting Indonesian cinema, fostering cultural exchange, and supporting essential educational development through workshops and seminars.
Moreover, we actively participate in global industry events, maintaining professional associations with major studios and distributors, while simultaneously establishing affiliations with like-minded institutions and organizations. Notably, Balinale (Bali International Film Festival) holds the honor of being endorsed by the National and Provincial Government for its proven efforts in delivering cultural, political, and economic benefits to the country, all while enjoying strong support from the local community.
Vision
To advance the Indonesian creative industries and foster a dialogue with their international counterparts.
Mission
To provide a showcase for the best of cinema from Indonesia and around the world.
Because above all, Balinale…
is known for its importance in promoting the creative industries of Indonesia by showcasing films locally produced as a means of illustrating the country’s filmmaking abilities.
Audience & Participants
Over the Years
218 Indonesian, 388 Asian, 551 Non-Asian Films Presented
300+ Industry Member Attending
57 Workshops, Seminars & Forums
73+ Countries Showcased
108+ Country Submissions
2007
Bali International Film Festival launches with 24 films from 7 countries in the main festival program. The festival presented a special showcase of its first student documentary film project at the UN Conference on Climate Change.
2008
Balinale held a forum Why Hollywood is Looking East with producer Philip Lee, and exec. producer Stan Wlodkowski. Director Howard Hall presented a special premiere of his Warner Bros IMAX film DEEP SEA 3D and discussed the upcoming UNDER THE SEA 3D.
2009
BAFTA award-winning producer Davina Belling shared her 30 year experience in conducting a three-day seminar on how to create and market your next great film. There were 25 films from 12 countries shown in the main festival program.
2010
EAT PRAY LOVE was the first major studio film shot in Indonesia contributing to the local industry development, country’s filming reputation, and its economy. Balinale was given the rights to show the film’s World Premiere in Jakarta..
2011
BORN TO BE WILD 3D was premiered at the festival presented by its scriptwriter. There was a special showing of the film in Jakarta in 2012 attended by President RI Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at Keong Emas IMAX Theater, Jakarta.
2012
The festival held the World Premiere of ALEX CROSS directed by Rob Cohen. A workshop with NYU Tisch Asia on Breaking the Celluloid Ceiling supporting women under-represented in a male-dominated industry.
2013
Balinale hosted a film section for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC Bali Summit). Motion Picture Association International (MPA-I) hosted movie screenings and participated in a workshop on IP protection.
2014
Special Festival Guest: Michael Rowe, winner of Cannes Camera D’or, Venice Film Festival and numerous other accolades. Roadshow of screenings with American Film Showcase, Sundance Institute’s Film Forward.
2015
The Art of Storytelling Hosted Emmy Award-Winning Filmmaker Farland Chang (USA) on how to prepare for professional on-camera work. Special Effects demonstration and camera equipment exhibition. Documentary filmmaking workshop with Richard Todd.
2016
Balinale Introduced the public to new technologies and ideas through exhibitions, talks, and live demonstrations on Costume Design, Set Design, SFX Workshops, and Equipment Demonstrations.
2017
Focus on Japanese Cinema PONYO and MY NEIGHBOUR TOTORO by Studio Ghibli, the Japanese animation studio based in Koganei, Tokyo. The program included demonstration on various media formats, and discussions Archiving and restoration seminar..
2018
Special Festival Guest Roland Joffe’. Part of his festival program was a location scout to identify potential locations for a project in development MATA HARI, incorporating Indonesian landscapes, historical sites, traditional materials, and designs.
2019
Special Premieres of stories for or about children in collaboration with the prestigious Berlinale: Spotlight Generation. The program director Maryanne Redpath conducted a workshop on short films and the importance of establishing affiliations.
2021
Bali Film Forum, NFT (Non-Fungible Token) in the Film Industry discussed a new platform for investors. Asian Film Awards Academy held a pre-festival program called Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation in Jakarta. AICEF Cultural Film Awards program was launched.
2022
Making Waves – Navigators of Hong Kong Cinema, and a virtual hologram for the first time in Indonesia. The Juilliard School – Center for Innovation in the Arts established a creative partnership with Balinale and Bali Film Center.
2023
Balinale presented a the Asian Premiere of NUCLEAR NOW by Oliver Stone, along with an art exhibition featuring recycled plastic sculptures.. AICEF Film Awards were held and continuation of The Juilliard School – Art of the Score program.