Media Release
14 March 2019
Festival Sinema Australia Indonesia (FSAI 2019) opened tonight in Jakarta with the Indonesian premiere of the award-winning Australian film Ladies in Black.
FSAI, now in its fourth year, will be held in Jakarta, Surabaya, Makassar and – for the first time – Bandung and Mataram.
As well as bringing a diverse range of films to Indonesian audiences, FSAI offers opportunities to build connections between the Australian and Indonesian film industries through a series of activities aimed to enhance collaborations between filmmakers from both countries.
Paul Damien Williams, the director and writer of the documentary GURRUMUL, attended the opening of the festival in Jakarta. He will deliver Q&A sessions and master classes in Jakarta and Mataram with the support of the festival’s ongoing partner Qantas.
Simon Wilmot and Dr. Victoria Duckett, both lecturers in film from Deakin University, will also deliver master classes to emerging Indonesian filmmakers in Jakarta, Makassar and Bandung as part of the festival.
Representatives from Screenwest, Western Australia’s leading film funding and development body, are also attending FSAI 2019. The Australian Government is proud to support Screenwest’s Australia-Indonesia Fast Track Initiative, which will enable exchanges between the Australian and Indonesian film industries and develop a slate of projects for potential co-production.
FSAI 2019 is supported by Australia now ASEAN, an Australian Government initiative to celebrate Australian creative excellence, diversity and innovation in Southeast Asia throughout 2019.
Australia now ASEAN has also partnered with Flickerfest, Australia’s world-renowned short film festival, to run the Flickerfest 2020 – Australia now ASEAN Short Film Competition. The competition will be open to filmmakers from across Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, in July 2019.
“Festival Sinema Australia Indonesia is a great platform to connect Australian and Indonesian filmmakers,” Australia’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Gary Quinlan, said.
“Opportunities like Screenwest’s Australia-Indonesia Fast Track Initiative and the Flickerfest 2020 – Australia now ASEAN Short Film Competition will create new exchanges and collaborations into the future.”
Tickets to all FSAI screenings are free and available at fsai2019.eventbrite.com
Media Enquiries: Ian Gerard 021 2550 5290