The festival, which is an annual cultural program by the Australian Embassy in Indonesia, is now in its seventh consecutive year.   

“This year’s festival is a true celebration of the creativity and expertise that reside within both Australia’s and Indonesia’s film, entertainment and creative arts sectors,” Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Penny Williams said in a press conference held over Zoom on Feb. 10. 

This year’s festival will screen seven movies: five Australian and two Indonesian of different genres, including animation, comedy, drama, mystery and romance. 

“It’s a film festival for everybody,” the ambassador continued. “We’ve carefully chosen the films to appeal to a broad range of audience.” 

Due to the pandemic, all screenings will be held online via the Australian movie streaming platform Fanforce TV.  

“Because people are staying at home, it’s a good opportunity to sit down with your family, with your children and watch good films together,” Williams added. 

Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno also commended the film festival. 

“I strongly believe that this year’s festival can help our industry recover from the global pandemic and spread a positive energy for us to stay strong,” Sandiaga said in the press conference. 

Notable lineup: A still image of "Jasper Jones'" (2017), a movie that features conflicts between teenagers of different cultural backgrounds in a small town in Western Australia in the 1960s. (Jasper Jones/Courtesy of the Australian Embassy) (Jasper Jones/Courtesy of the Australian Embassy)

Movie lineup

Among the most notable entries in the festival’s lineup is Jasper Jones (2017). The mystery drama, which is based on Australian author Craig Silvey’s novel, features conflicts between teenagers of different cultural backgrounds living in a small town in Western Australia in the 1960s. 

The 105-minute movie won the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards (AACTA) for best film, best adapted screenplay, best supporting actor and best sound categories in 2017. 

“I’ve watched [Jasper Jones] and love it,” Indonesian actress, journalist and presenter Marissa Anita said in the press conference. “The movie throws light on the history of Western Australia in the 1960s.”

Marissa, an alumna of the University of Sydney, News South Wales, was appointed Sahabat FSAI (Friend of FSAI) for this year.  

The journalist also adores an animated movie in the lineup titled 100% Wolf (2020), which was adapted from British children’s author Jayne Lyons’ novel of the same name. 

“It’s really a feel-good movie that all members of the family can enjoy,” Marissa commented. 

The 96-minute movie tells an intriguing story of a rivalry between dogs and werewolves. 

Another movie not to miss at this year’s festival is River (2021), a documentary by Australian award-winning director Jennifer Peedom. 

“Viewers will definitely be pampered with all the beautiful sceneries in the documentary,” the Sahabat FSAI said. 

The 75-minute film, which explores the connection between humans and rivers in six continents, is illustrated with specially composed music by the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s Richard Tognetti, as well as British musician Jonny Greenwood and Radiohead. 

All the Australian movies at the festival are in English and subtitled in Indonesian. 

“There aren’t a lot of Australian movies being screened in Indonesia,” Marissa added. “So, the festival is really a good opportunity for Indonesian film enthusiasts to watch Australian movies.”   

Breathtaking sceneries: "River", a documentary by Australian award-winning director Jennifer Peedom, explores the connection between humans and rivers in six continents. (River/Courtesy of the Australian Embassy) (River/Courtesy of the Australian Embassy)

In addition to the Australian movies, FSAI 2022 will also showcase two Indonesian films, Kado (A Gift, 2018) produced by Mira Lesmana and Mountain Song (2019) produced by Kamila Andini. 

Both these films feature communities in Sulawesi. 

“Our relationship with Sulawesi is part of the reason [why FSAI 2022 features two movies on the island],” Williams explained. “The relationship and the history between Australia and Sulawesi go back hundreds and hundreds of years, when the people of Sulawesi sailed to Northern Australia and built relations with Aboriginal communities there.”  

Mountain Song, written and directed by Central Sulawesi-native film director Yusuf Radjamuda, highlights problems of healthcare access among people living in a remote village on the Pipikoro Mountain in Central Sulawesi. 

The 76-minute drama is in the local language and subtitled in Indonesian. 

“The scenes in the [Mountain Song] movie are […] Oh my God,” Marissa said. “They use observatory camera techniques, which will definitely touch your heart.”

Mountain Song won the Newcomers Award in the Asian Film Festival Rome 2020. 

Meanwhile, Kado highlights gender complexities in South Sulawesi. The 15-minute drama is in Indonesian and subtitled in English. 

“We in Makassar are delighted to discover that there’s actually a film with a South Sulawesi connection [in the festival],” Bronwyn Robbins, Australian consul-general in Makassar, South Sulawesi, said during the press conference. “We’re very delighted and looking forward to watching this film.”

Gender theme: The 15-minute drama "Kado" (2018) is a story of gender complexities in South Sulawesi (Kado/Courtesy of the Australian Embassy) (Kado/Courtesy of the Australian Embassy)

Screenings and masterclasses

As in last year, the festival is aiming to draw in 2,000 viewers in Indonesia. 

Viewers will have to register their details on fsai2022.com to be able to watch the movies. 

The films will be screened on Saturdays and Sundays starting from midday to evening. There will be a Q&A session live-streamed at the end of the screening, in which Indonesian cinephiles can gain interesting insights about the film directly from the filmmakers.

FSAI will also present online masterclasses for Indonesian students and filmmakers. 

“The masterclasses are an opportunity for young filmmakers and students of film to come together, learn and also collaborate,” Ambassador Penny Williams said. 

The schedule for masterclasses is yet to be released. 

“Hopefully, FSAI will spark conversation and collaborations between cineasts in Indonesia and Australia, as well as an exchange of knowledge and expertise between the two countries,” Marissa said.