17 August, Bali – This year’s Balinale is shaping up to be the best and most exciting in the festival’s eleven year history! The festival continues to bring audiences quality, thought provoking independent and award winning short, feature & documentaries from Indonesian and around the world with this year’s relevant & timely 2017 theme CONNECTING COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE WORLD OF FILM reflecting on how film can project our visions and dreams in a positive way enabling greater exposure, tolerance and acceptance of countries and cultures.
The annual Bali International Film Festival (Balinale) is held 24-30 September at our Official Venue Partner Cinemaxx (PT Cinemaxx Global Pasifik) at Lippo Mall Kuta. Adding to the weeklong program of fabulous film screenings and Balinale’s special events of movie premieres, celebrity meet & greet, seminars, exhibitions and sneak peeks of upcoming films, we kick off the festivities with a spectacular parade showcasing the elaborate designs and costumes created by Jember Fashion Carnaval (JFC)
A first peek of just some of the over 100 films to be featured in the festival along with our Signature Selection of Shorts:
- MOONLIGHT (2016) by Barry Jenkins (USA)
- COLD OF KALANDAR (2016) by Mustafa Kara (Hungary & Turkey)
- ZIARAH (2017) by BW Purba Negara (Indonesia)
- WHO’S GONNA LOVE ME NOW? (2016) By Barak Heymann & Tomer Heymann (Israel & UK)
- BLUE BEARD (2017) by Lee Soo-yeon (South Korea)
- DON’T LOOK DOWN (2017) by Daniel Gordon (UK)
- THE CINEMA TRAVELLERS (2016) by Shirley Abraham, Amit Madheshiya (India)
- GHIBLI STUDIOS Retrospective (Japan)
The festival was founded in 2007 by Bali Film Center (BFC), a private company providing professional services for film and television production throughout Indonesia since 2002. BFC is a Business Member of the Location Managers Guild International, ATA Carnet Film Organization, Founding Member of Asian Film Commissions Network of 18 countries and Consulting Organisation for Asia Pacific Screen Awards, the festival is recognized internationally for the diversity of its programming and credited for the quality of the associated events where international filmmakers enjoy the festival’s relaxed and familiar manner while discussing films, trends, co-production opportunities and the demands of a growing fast paced industry.
In a lead in to the festival will be a gathering of film industry professionals, called BalinaleX, encompassing a two-day gathering on 22 & 23 September on “The Future of the Asian Film Industry” and include Roundtables that explore the commercial opportunities and obstacles to a successful film & television industry. The forum demonstrates the power of film to drive growth and development – cultural as well as commercial – and ultimately attract international film and television projects to Indonesia.
The event is expected to be widely attended by many Indonesian & regional artists and filmmakers, as well as, studio representatives, plus government officials & policy makers who are committed to building Indonesia’s creative industry. Balinale has beenwas recently appointed as an Industry Partner of Asia Pacific Screen Awards, held in Brisbane, Australia, and will host an event in recognition of their Indonesian APSA Academy members who have won international awards.
Balinale is known for its specialized knowledge and importance in promoting Indonesian cinema, art and culture acting as a platform and history of supporting established and aspiring local filmmakers with workshops and seminars as an important part of the program, and strongly supports the community with its children’s charity program and school visits
The festival holds the honor of receiving the endorsement of the National and Provincial Government for its proven efforts in delivering cultural, political and economic benefits to the country and by the Indonesian Film Boards & Associations for encouraging growth of the domestic film industry.