Europe on Screen 2021 kicks-off virtually today

15.09.2021
Jakarta

The 21st edition of European Union (EU) Film Festival “Europe on Screen” (EOS) kicks-off today with a fantastic line-up of 54 films and more than 30 fringe events.

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Europe on Screen 2021 kicks-off virtually today

 

The 21st edition of European Union (EU) Film Festival “Europe on Screen” (EOS) kicks-off today with a fantastic line-up of 54 films and more than 30 fringe events. All films are available for viewing free-of-charge on the virtual streaming platform Festival Scope. EOS 2021 runs from 15 to 27 September 2021 and can be accessed from anywhere in Indonesia

“I am delighted to present the EU’s annual flagship cultural event: the Europe on Screen. As the longest running international film festival in Indonesia, this year’s festival is the 21st edition and it is also the second year in a row that we are hosting the film festival virtually due to the pandemic. Although Europe on Screen is in a online format, we maintain the quality of the festival with a selection of the best and latest films that Europe has to offer,” said Vincent Piket, the EU Ambassador to Indonesia. “We will showcase 54 films which includes 53 films from 25 European countries and one compilation of Indonesian short films,” added Ambassador Piket.

“The number of films for this year’s festival has increased by 25% compared to last year. The curation process also had to adapt to new normality, such as from in-person to digital curatorial methodologies,” said Nauval Yazid, the EOS 2021 festival co-director.

The festival will commence on 15 September with an award-winning drama from Finland, Any Day Now. The film was inspired by the childhood experience of the film director, Hamy Ramezan, who was on the verge of deportation after his family’s asylum application was denied. The film garnered prestigious awards such as Generation Kplus - Best Feature Film nominee, Berlin International Film Festival 2021 and Teen Screen Competition, Molodist International Film Festival 2021. The film will be followed by a Film Talk session with the film director on 16 September.

“We are proud that this year Finland film has been chosen as an opening film for the Europe on Screen Online Edition 2021,” said Jari Sinkari, the Ambassador of Finland to Indonesia “We cannot wait to meet each of you at the QnA session with Any Day Now director,'' added Ambassador Sinkari.

EOS 2021 will present a compilation of three Indonesian short films by winners of the Short Film Pitching Project (SFPP) 2020, the festival’s annual competition of short film project ideas. The compilation is available for viewing on 22 September. The films are:

  1. Ghulam, directed by Nashiru Setiawan from Malang
  2. Tour de Serpong, directed by Steven Vicky S. from Tangerang
  3. Kepada Istriku (Marta, I’m Home), directed by Patrick Warmanda from Jakarta

For this year’s festival, eight chosen finalists from various regions in Indonesia will compete in SFPP 2021 on 24 September. The pitching sessions will be open to the public. SFPP 2021 jury panel consists of prominent Indonesian filmmakers whose films have been screened in international film festivals in Europe. The three-member jury panel are Kamila Andini, Yosep Anggi Noen and Edwin Nazir.

An integral part of EOS 2021 will be the “Film Talks” with celebrated personalities from the film industry, offering fascinating insights to their films. “Not only film screenings, but exciting discussions with more than 30 European and Indonesian filmmakers will be hosted during the festival,” said Meninaputri Wismurti, the EOS 2021 festival co-director.

Other than discussions with filmmakers, EOS 2021 will present a webinar about gender identity on 21 September. Titled “Support System for Gender Acceptance”, the webinar will focus on two films screened at EOS 2021: A Perfectly Normal Family from Denmark and Little Girl from France. Speaking at the webinar will be: Merlyn Sopjan (activist, writer and performer), Kanzha Vina (activist and head of Sanggar Swara) and Tonny Trimarsanto (director and founder of Rumah Dokumenter). The webinar will be moderated by David Irianto (co-founder of Greatmind.id). “Films can be used as a medium to voice social issues in society and one of them is gender issues. Thanks to films, people across the age span and from around the world can become conscious of an issue,” said Tonny Trimarsanto.

Prior to the festival, a series of Instagram Live sessions and film workshops have been held since July 2021 as part of “Road to Europe on Screen 2021”, including:

  1. Acting Workshop with film actor Vincent Riotta
  2. Film Development and Co-Production Workshop with film producer Alessandra Pastore
  3. Film Editing Workshop with film editor Cédric Zoenen.

For more information on EOS 2021, visit our website: www.europeonscreen.org

 


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