Jakarta World Cinema Opens With 2026 Palme d'Or Winner - Tempo.co English
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Fjord, winner of the top Palme d'Or prize at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, will open Jakarta World Cinema (JWC) on Saturday, October 31, 2026.
The drama thriller, a co-production of Romania, France, Denmark, Finland, and Sweden, will screen as the opening film at CGV FX Sudirman in Jakarta.
“Jakarta World Cinema's vision from the beginning has been to bridge world-class cinema with audiences in Indonesia, while positioning Jakarta as an important film and cultural hub in Southeast Asia,” Jakarta World Cinema Executive Director Frederica said in a press statement received by Tempo on Thursday, October 1.
Frederica said the weeklong festival will feature 207 films from 69 countries and run through November 7, 2026.
“Our mission is to create an inclusive space where cinematic excellence can transcend national borders,” she said.
The festival will close with Inherit, directed by Thai filmmaker Banjong Pisanthanakun, known for the horror films The Medium and Shutter.
Frederica said JWC's lineup includes 120 award-winning films from some of the world's most prestigious film festivals. The selection includes 96 Asian productions and 41 films directed by women. Twenty films in the lineup have also been selected as their respective countries' entries for Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards.
The international lineup reflects some of the year's most notable developments in global cinema. Audiences can watch the films in person at CGV throughout the festival, while selected titles will also be available to stream on Klik Film from October 31 to November 21, 2026.
Among the films in the lineup is Minotaur by Andrey Zvyagintsev, winner of the 2026 Cannes Grand Prix.
JWC will also screen Ryusuke Hamaguchi's All of a Sudden, which earned its lead actress the Best Actress award at Cannes 2026, as well as Jesse Eisenberg's latest film, The Debut.
The festival will also feature Naza, directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, which won the Special Jury Prize at the 2026 Venice Film Festival.
Another Venice winner, Woman Unknown by May el-Toukhy, will also be screened at JWC. Meanwhile, Ilker Çatak's Yellow Letters, winner of the Golden Bear for Best Film at the 2026 Berlin International Film Festival, will be available to stream on Klik Film.
Beyond film screenings, JWC will bring international filmmaker Tudor Vladimir Panduru to Jakarta.
Panduru, the cinematographer behind the visuals of Fjord, will hold an exclusive masterclass and share insights into his creative process and cinematographic approach with Indonesian filmmakers, industry professionals, and cinema enthusiasts.
Jakarta World Cinema Festival Director Shandy Gasella explained the thinking behind the selection of the 120 award-winning films.
“Being able to bring together winners of the Golden Bear, Palme d'Or, and Golden Lion in a single edition is an achievement in itself and very meaningful to us,” Shandy said.
“For Indonesian audiences, JWC is a rare opportunity to experience the pulse of contemporary world cinema firsthand,” he added.
Shandy said the films selected for the festival go beyond cinematic works and boldly reflect current global conditions.
“Access to world cinema can bring significant changes to the development of cinema culture in Indonesia,” he said.
Information on tickets, festival schedules, and the masterclass will be announced through Jakarta World Cinema's official website and social media channels.
