Fjord Opens Jakarta World Cinema at CGV — SkimNews
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- Fjord, Cristian Mungiu’s Palme d’Or winner, opened the fifth Jakarta World Cinema at CGV Grand Indonesia as Romania’s submission for the international feature Oscar at the 2027 Academy Awards.
- Tudor Vladimir Panduru, the film’s cinematographer and the festival’s sole masterclass guest, said “Fjord” speaks about “different values and perspectives” and that watching it was important to answer personal questions and understand how to be “a better person in the society we live in.”
- Fjord marked Panduru and Mungiu’s third collaboration after “Graduation” and “R.M.N.,” and their first project shot outside Romania and in English and Norwegian rather than Romanian.
- Dan Adrian Bălănescu, Romania’s ambassador to Indonesia, said critics had accused director Cristian Mungiu of “flirting with conservative ideas,” while others praised “Fjord” as a courageous critique of contemporary Western society. He also quoted Mungiu: “There’s no bravery in making a movie that defends progressive left-wing values. It’s outright provincial and opportunistic.”
- Jakarta World Cinema selected 207 titles from 69 countries, including 120 films that had won awards at major festivals, 96 Asian films, 41 films directed by women, and 20 official entries for the international feature category at the 99th Academy Awards.
- KlikFilm began streaming the festival online on Oct. 6, while 102 of the 207 titles screened exclusively in theaters; Jakarta World Cinema closes Nov. 7 with the Thai horror film “Inherit.”
Why it matters: Indonesian audiences gain access to 207 films from 69 countries, including 102 theatrical exclusives and 20 official international-feature entries for the 99th Academy Awards. The opening also gives them direct access to “Fjord” cinematographer Tudor Vladimir Panduru, whose sole masterclass connects the festival’s centerpiece to questions about values and society.
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