Palme d'Or winner 'Fjord' opens Jakarta World Cinema
Cristian Mungiu's 'Fjord', a winner of the Palme d'Or, the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival, opened the fifth edition of Jakarta World Cinema, Variety reported on 1 November.
The festival's in-person screenings run at CGV Grand Indonesia from 31 October to 7 November. The festival closes on 7 November with 'Inherit', a Thai horror film. Viewers outside the cinemas can also watch online. Streaming began on 6 October on the KlikFilm platform, and online screenings run until 21 November.
'Fjord' runs 2 hours and 26 minutes. It is a co-production of Romania, France, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Sweden, and it was selected in the festival's Icon section. The cast includes Sebastian Stan, Renate Reinsve and Lisa Carlehed, according to the festival's film page. The film is also Romania's entry for the international feature Oscar at the 2027 Academy Awards. Mungiu wrote and directed it.
The cinematographer is Tudor Vladimir Panduru, a Romanian who holds accreditation from the Royal Society of Cinematographers. Panduru was the festival's only masterclass guest. He has now worked with Mungiu on three films, following 'Graduation' and 'R.M.N.' 'Fjord' is the first of their films shot outside Romania, and the first in languages other than Romanian. Much of it is in English and Norwegian. Panduru's approach relies on natural light and long takes, and the Norwegian landscape shaped the look of the film. AFCinema has also reported that the story is based on true events that took place in Norway.
The wider lineup is large. Jakarta World Cinema is showing 207 titles from 69 countries. Of those, 102 are playing only in cinemas, and 120 have won awards at major festivals. Asian cinema accounts for 96 of the films, and women directed 41. Twenty of the titles are official entries for the international feature category at the 99th Academy Awards.
This year also marks the festival's first expansion beyond the capital. It is adding screenings in Bandung and Malang, as Variety reported on 30 September.
For Indonesian audiences, the mix is the point. A Palme d'Or winner from Europe opens a festival where most films come from Asia, and where the Oscar-submission list sits alongside a horror title that closes it. Anyone planning to attend should check session times on the festival's website before heading to CGV Grand Indonesia.
