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Jakarta World Cinema 2024 Kicks Off with Spectacular Opening Night

Jakarta Opening Night
The Jakarta World Cinema (JWC) 2024 opened with a vibrant celebration at CGV Cinema Grand Indonesia

 The (JWC) 2024 opened with a vibrant celebration at CGV Cinema Grand Indonesia last night, marking the beginning of a week-long journey of cinematic experiences from around the world. The event, which started on September 21st, was filled with exciting performances, inspiring speeches, and a joyful atmosphere, as the audience gathered to witness this year’s exceptional film lineup.

Frederica, the Executive Director of Jakarta World Cinema, delivered the opening remarks, setting the tone for the festival. “We are thrilled to present this diverse range of films to our audience and invite you all to immerse yourselves in the stories that await. Enjoy the festival!” she said, welcoming the audience to what promises to be an unforgettable week of world-class cinema.

In his speech, Steering Committee member Ifa Isfansyah expressed his amazement at the festival’s evolution. “I never thought we’d see the day when a film like The Substance would be shown on the big screen in Indonesia for the general audience. It’s an incredible achievement and a testament to how far we’ve come in fostering a love for global cinema,” said Isfansyah, referring to the opening film of the festival, directed by Coralie Fargeat.

Jakarta Film Week Team Ifa Isfansyah

Festival Director Shandy Gasella encouraged the people of Jakarta to take full advantage of the week ahead. “Let’s make this a citywide celebration! It’s the perfect time to skip work on weekdays, just to enjoy the festival to the fullest,” he joked, inviting the public to dive into the rich selection of films and events that the festival offers.

Meanwhile, Program Director Daniel Irawan expressed his enthusiasm in the growing diversity of films at JWC each year. “In addition to expanding the variety of segments, it’s always important to introduce different stories and social commentary to our local audience, who actually have a strong interest and broad market for global cinema,” he stated.

Adding to the festivities, the opening night coincided with KlikFilm’s 8th anniversary, making the night even more special. As the primary sponsor of JWC, KlikFilm powers the entire festival, bringing global cinema to the local audience. To commemorate this partnership, Eki Dance Company performed a captivating three-minute dance piece, inspired by The Substance, embodying the film’s essence and artistic depth.

Jakarta Film Week Opening Eki Dance Company

Jakarta World Cinema 2024 will run from September 21st to 28th, featuring films from around the globe, with ǪCA sessions with filmmakers, film talks, and special events that celebrate the best of international cinema.

For more information and the complete festival schedule, please visit: IG: @jakartaworldcinema

X: @jktworldcinema

website: jakartaworldcinema.com

About the author

Panos Kotzathanasis

Panagiotis (Panos) Kotzathanasis is a film critic and reviewer, specialized in Asian Cinema. He is the owner and administrator of Asian Movie Pulse, one of the biggest portals dealing with Asian cinema. He is a frequent writer in Hancinema, Taste of Cinema, and his texts can be found in a number of other publications including SIRP in Estonia, Film.sk in Slovakia, Asian Dialogue in the UK, Cinefil in Japan and Filmbuff in India.

Since 2019, he cooperates with Thessaloniki Cinematheque in Greece, curating various tributes to Asian cinema. He has participated, with video recordings and text, on a number of Asian movie releases, for Spectrum, Dekanalog and Error 4444. He has taken part as an expert on the Erasmus+ program, “Asian Cinema Education”, on the Asian Cinema Education International Journalism and Film Criticism Course.

Apart from a member of FIPRESCI and the Greek Cinema Critics Association, he is also a member of NETPAC, the Hellenic Film Academy and the Online Film Critics Association.

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