Media Release
18 January 2018
The Festival Sinema Australia Indonesia (FSAI 2018) returns again this month with great new Australian movies and new films by emerging Indonesian film makers.
For the first time, the Festival will be held simultaneously in Jakarta, Surabaya, Makassar and Denpasar, from 25 to 28 January.
The Festival will open with the Indonesian premiere of the award-winning Australian film Ali's Wedding, a comedy-drama about a young Australian Muslim man caught between his sense of duty to his family and following his heart.
The film’s co-writer and star, Osamah Sami, will greet movie buffs in Jakarta and Denpasar.
Six Indonesian short films will be screened at FSAI 2018 as finalists in the festival’s short film competition. The competition winner will have the opportunity to visit Melbourne International Film Festival in August this year.
Festival audiences will also have the opportunity to vote for the winner of the “People’s Choice” category.
Australian director Rhiannon Bannenberg and producer Steve Jaggi will also join FSAI 2018 to present their teen movie Rip Tide, which features Disney star Debby Ryan.
Other Australian titles that will be screened are Killing Ground, Red Dog: True Blue, Dance Academy, OtherLife, and the short film Sol Bunker.
The line-up of this year’s festival, supported by QANTAS, also includes work by Indonesians, including the critically acclaimed Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts by Indonesian director and Australian alumnus, Mouly Surya, as well as two films based on the books of Australian Alumni: Melbourne Rewind and Melawan Takdir.
“Film is a great medium for our two countries to learn about one another and we are proud to screen not just Australian films but also great films by our distinguished alumni from Indonesia,” said the Australian Chargé d’Affairs to Indonesia, Allaster Cox.
“We are also pleased to support the development of emerging Indonesian film makers through our short film competition. I congratulate all the finalists and wish them the best of luck.”