Bali International Film Festival Honors Film Industry Icon

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Press Release 2021 Bali Taksu Award

Bali, Indonesia 14 November 2021 – The Bali International Film Festival capped its final day with a special award reserved for one of the most notable contributors to the Indonesian cinematic arts and recognized in the international film community.

The Bali Taksu Award for Inspiring Creativity was presented to director and author Garin Nugroho by Festival Founder and President Deborah Gabinetti before an appreciative audience.

Garin exists amongst that rare group of artists that have truly shaped their country’s cultural direction and yet he has given time and support to the Bali International Film Festival, inspired countless aspiring filmmakers, and he continues to create new projects.

He completed his film education at the Art Institute in Java in 1985 and immediately set to work. With a phenomenal career spanning 40 years, Garin’s films include features, documentaries and short films. From Cinta Dalam Sepotong Roti (Love on a Slice of Bread) to Kucumbu Tubuh Indahku (Memories of My Body), Garin’s work stands out in the canon of Indonesian cinema as some of most admired film moments.

His award-winning work in film and theatre has elevated traditional Javanese music and dance onto the global stage. A lifelong patron of the arts, having founded Jogja NETPAC Asian Film Festival. As both a generous educator and a creator of stylistic and aesthetic trends, Garin has inspired whole generations of new filmmakers while providing them with a platform to express themselves to the fullest.

The audience had a sneak peek at Garin’s upcoming film Sepeda Presiden starring Ariel Tatum at the Park 23 Creative Hub XXI Cinema, Kuta, Badung, along with an impressive presentation of his awards (over 65 from many countries and festivals) and accomplishments (25 feature films and 14 books).

Sepeda Presiden will be released in theatres in December. Garin announced that this film, a collaboration with a new generation of talents from Java to Papua, is intended as a year-ending holiday gift to Indonesian families.

Gabinetti announced, “Garin has been a friend of the Bali International Film Festival from its very beginning, generously allowing us to screen of Opera Jawa at our inaugural festival, and setting a standard to which we continue to aspire. I am honored to present the Bali Taksu Award to Garin Nugroho.”

Garin graciously accepted the award and shared many stories with the audience.

Previously the Bali Taksu Award was given to Roland Joffe, director of Academy Award-winning films (The Killing Fields and The Mission) who attended the festival in 2018 with a retrospective of his work.

Media: for more information on the festival and its programs, visit www.balinale.com or contact us at: press@balinale.com / +62 361 270 908

Photos for publication are available from Flickr at balinale.com/press.