Jakarta World Cinema has moved its festival beyond the Indonesian capital for the first time, launching simultaneous inaugural editions in Bandung and Malang on Nov. 14.
The expansion aims to reach audiences across the country who have previously followed the Jakarta event from a distance, specifically targeting cities with large student populations and active creative scenes.
The Bandung edition is screening 203 international titles from 69 countries at CGV Paris Van Java, while the Malang edition is being held at Cinépolis Malang Town Square. Both festivals are scheduled to run through Nov. 21. Variety reports that the Bandung program opened with Cristian Mungiu’s “Fjord,” a winner of this year’s Palme d’Or at Cannes.
Other films included in the Bandung slate are Beth de Araujo’s “Josephine,” which won the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award in Sundance’s 2026 U.S. Dramatic Competition, and Marine Atlan’s “La Gradiva,” the winner of the AMI Paris Grand Prize at this year’s Cannes Critics’ Week.
The lineup also features Sandra Wollner’s “Everytime,” winner of the Un Certain Regard Prize at Cannes, and Kurosawa Kiyoshi’s “The Samurai and the Prisoner,” which was a Cannes Premiere selection.
The festival’s online program, which remains available until Nov. 21, includes Ilker Çatak’s “Yellow Letters,” the Golden Bear winner from this year’s Berlinale, and Ildiko Enyedi’s “Silent Friend,” which won a Fipresci Prize at Venice in 2025.
Bandung Mayor Muhammad Farhan attended the opening night at CGV Paris Van Java.
“Bandung World Cinema gives the local audience an unprecedented opportunity to watch alternative cinema outside of the mainstream Hollywood films that dominate the theaters. The hope is that this festival will foster a greater local appreciation for film, become a source of inspiration for cinephiles, and encourage aspiring filmmakers to pursue their dreams,” Farhan said.
Frederica, the executive director of Bandung World Cinema, said that organizers have seen interest from cinephiles outside of Jakarta for several years.
“Bringing the Jakarta World Cinema experience to Bandung and Malang for the first time has been a long time coming,” she said. “Over the next eight days, audiences in both cities will experience the exact same caliber of bold, thought-provoking, and celebrated global cinema that defines JWC.”
The Bandung festival will conclude on Nov. 21 with a free open-air screening for the public. This outdoor program will showcase works by students from Bandung universities and winners of the KlikFilm Short Movie Competition, ending with a restored version of the 1954 Indonesian classic “Lewat Djam Malam” (“After the Curfew”) by Usmar Ismail.
