Diederick Koopal's De Marathon: You Never Walk Alone (Netherlands, 2012). (EoS 2013)

The popular Europe on Screen (EoS) film festival is back for its 13th year in Indonesia.

With 72 films from 30 different countries across Europe, this year's EoS screens the most films in the event's history, said festival director Orlow Seunke.

Offerings will include three new attractions, namely children's films, a retrospective program and open-air screenings. The children's category will feature four animation films, Animals United, Sammy's Great Escape, The Great Bear and Zarafa.

The retrospective program showcases classic movies, such as Henri-Georges Clouzot's The Mystery of Picasso (1956), a documentary about the painter, and Fritz Lang's You Only Live Once (1937), a crime drama and pioneer of film noir.

The open-air screenings, which will take place at the Tugu Kunstkring Gallery and Erasmushuis cultural center, will include special guests, workshops and discussions.

'We are in for a real treat; it is like a picnic, sitting on a field and watching the film,' said Julian Wilson, the head of the European Union-ASEAN delegation, who attended the festival's press conference.

Among the high-profile entries this year is Norwegian crime drama Headhunters, an adaptation of the international best-selling novel from author Jo Nesbo, directed by Morten Tlydum. There are also award-winning works such as Italian Nanni Moretti's We Have a Pope and Palm d'Or nominee Ken Loach's Route Irish.

Fritz Lang's Metropolis (Germany, 1927). (EoS 2013)
With 19 films, the discovery category will ignite emotions. The movies include Chico & Rita, a Spanish animation film and Balls, a touching comedy from Sweden.

This years 18 documentaries cover a wide range of topics ' from fashion designers to dictators. ''The best documentary in my opinion is The Other Dream Team. It's about a Lithuanian basketball team that beats the powerful Russian team,' said Seunke.

Europe on Screen was held for the first time in 1990 with the second nine years later in 2003. Since then, it has been held annually. 'We want to show the extraordinary power of European art that is not seen in Indonesia, simply because the industry responds more to American films,' said Wilson.

'We make just as many films as the United States and we hope to change the image of European films,' said Seunke.

Another highlight is the short-film competition, which is sure to attract local talent. From 200 entrants, two winners will be announced on the closing night.

EoS 2013 will take place from May 3 to 12 across seven cities including Medan, Yogyakarta, Denpasar and Makassar.

Festival Highlights

We Have a Pope (2011/Italy: 102min)
Category: Xtra
Director: Nanni Moretti

After the death of the serving pope, the long process of electing a new one begins. The conclave's choice falls on Cardinal Melville but, at the moment of the official announcement, the audience in St.Peter's Square waits in vain. After a terrible howl of fear, the cardinal refuses the title. The officials do everything to try to reason with Melville.

Balls (2010/Sweden: 97min)
Category: Discovery
Director: Josef Fares

Aziz is a middle-aged widower who works in a bicycle store and is eagerly awaiting the birth of his first grandchild. However, his son Sami and daughter-in-law Amanda have not dared tell him that she is not pregnant and they are actually planning to adopt a child instead. To distract Aziz from the baby issue, Sami suggests his father finds a woman to share his life.

Nicky's Family (2011/Czech Republic: 96min)
Category: Documentary
Director: Matej Minac

This film tells the story of Nicholas Winton who rescued 669 Czech and Slovak children just before the outbreak of World War II. He was knighted by British Queen Elizabeth II and received a Nobel Peace Prize nomination in recognition of his remarkable deed.

Zarafa (2012/UK: 78min)
Category: Children

This is the story of an everlasting friendship between Maki, a 10-year-old boy, and Zarafa, an orphaned giraffe. When the prince of the desert, Hassan, is instructed by the Pasha of Egypt to deliver Zarafa to the King of France, Maki is determined to do everything in his power to stop Hassan and to return the giraffe to its native land.

Raw Material (2011/ Greece: 78min)
Category: Documentary
Director: Hristos Karakepelis

The theme of this documentary is the financial activity behind the recycling of metal objects that are thrown away by people in Athens. A group of illegal gypsy immigrants, who do not live according to the norm or speak the Greek language, gather the garbage in an attempt to improve their lives.

The writer is an intern at The Jakarta Post.