The final round will showcase 30 feature films, 12 documentaries and 10 short films that explore Indonesia on Jan. 9-23 at two venues: the Centre of Fine Arts (BOZAR) and Cinéma Vendôme in Brussels, Belgium.

Film curator Nan Achnas said during last week's Film Discussion Workshop that the Indonesian contemporary film festival program will highlight movies that were made after the Reform Movement that brought down former president Soeharto in 1998.

Nan explained that the movies were selected to present milestones of the post-Soeharto era. The period was important, as Indonesians had not seen any “projected images” of themselves on the big screen because of a hiatus that lasted a decade prior to the Reform era.

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The Indonesian program will kick off on Jan. 9 with a film discussion led by Budi Irawanto, a professor of Gadjah Mada University, followed by the screening of Garin Nugroho’s Requiem of Java (Java Opera).

On Jan. 10, Lovely Man from director Teddy Soeriaatmadja will be screened at the Cinéma Vendôme.

In addition to film screenings, the 2017 Europalia Arts Festival Indonesia has also invited Indonesian filmmakers Teddy Soeriaatmadja, Garin Nugroho, Lavesh Samtani, Mira Lesmana, Sardono, Ismail Basbeth and Nia Dinata to Brussels.

Director general of culture Hilmar Farid at the Culture and Education Ministry expressed his hope that the filmmakers would be able to share their experiences when they return from the festival.

Hilmar added that the film festival not only aimed to introduce Indonesian films, but also the development of Indonesian society as portrayed through film to promote a positive impression of the country. (kes)