Jakarta World Cinema Expands to Malang and Bandung, Where Palme d’Or Winner ‘Fjord’ Opens Festival

Jakarta World Cinema has taken its festival outside the Indonesian capital for the first time, with the inaugural Bandung World Cinema and Malang World Cinema opening simultaneously on Nov. 14 in two cities with large student populations and busy creative scenes.

Bandung’s screenings are taking place at CGV Paris Van Java, while Malang’s are at Cinépolis Malang Town Square, with both editions running through Nov. 21. The move takes the festival to audiences who have tracked the Jakarta event from elsewhere in the country.

The Bandung edition is programming 203 international titles drawn from 69 countries. Cristian Mungiu’s “Fjord,” which won this year’s Palme d’Or at Cannes, opened proceedings.

Also on the slate are Beth de Araujo’s “Josephine,” which took both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award in Sundance’s U.S. Dramatic Competition in 2026, and Marine Atlan’s “La Gradiva,” winner of the AMI Paris Grand Prize at this year’s Cannes Critics’ Week. Sandra Wollner’s “Everytime,” which picked up the Un Certain Regard Prize at Cannes, screens alongside Kurosawa Kiyoshi’s new feature “The Samurai and the Prisoner,” a Cannes Premiere selection.

The festival’s online program, available until Nov. 21, includes Ildiko Enyedi’s “Silent Friend,” a Fipresci Prize winner at Venice in 2025, and Ilker Çatak’s “Yellow Letters,” this year’s Golden Bear winner at the Berlinale.

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, executive director of Bandung World Cinema, said organizers had noticed keen interest from cinephiles beyond Jakarta for 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.”

Unlike the Jakarta event, Bandung will wrap on Nov. 21 with a free open-air screening for the general public. The outdoor program will feature work by students at Bandung universities and winners of the KlikFilm Short Movie Competition, before closing with a restored version of “Lewat Djam Malam” (“After the Curfew”), Usmar Ismail’s 1954 Indonesian classic.