IO, Jakarta – The Australian Embassy Jakarta opens a series of film screenings of the Australia Indonesia 2020 Cinema Festival at the CGV Grand Indonesia Thamrin on Thursday, February 13, 2020. On this occasion the Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, HE. Mr. Gary Quinlan invited film lovers to witness the premiere of the Australian romantic comedy “Top End Wedding” as the opening the Australia Indonesia Cinema Festival (FSAI) 2020, a celebration of creativity and diversity in the Australian and Indonesian film industries.
FSAI, which has entered its fifth year and will be held in Jakarta, Surabaya, Makassar, Bandung, Mataram, and – for the first time – in Yogyakarta, is presented by Australia Connect, a series of interesting programs in Indonesia throughout 2019 and 2020 which feature Australia’s creative sector, thriving through music, film, food and art.
Gary Quinlan in his opening remarks said “Films are a window into other cultures and our choice of Australian and Indonesian films by Australian alumni provides insights into the creativity and diversity of our two countries.” The Ambassador continued with “I would like to express our gratitude and highest appreciation to the Indonesian government for their support provided for Australia when Australia experienced a major fire disaster”.
Ambassador Gary Quinlan also stated that besides bringing a variety of films to Indonesian audiences, FSAI provides opportunities for talented film students and young filmmakers to learn from Australian filmmakers and alumni. Simon Wilmot, senior film lecturer from Deakin University, will provide master classes to young filmmakers in Surabaya and Yogyakarta. Simon Wilmot will also join the Friends of FSAI 2020. Another person who is also an Australian alumnus, Daniel Mananta, is expected to give a master class about starting a career in the film industry to prospective young filmmakers in Jakarta.
Meanwhile Daniel Mananta, an Australian university graduate, actor, MC, and well-known Indonesian VJ, expressed his joy as a friend of FSAI even though he had yet to produce a movie so that he could be in a friend zone in FSAI, he joked. Furthermore he introduced one of the movies which will be shown, Susi Susanti: Love All, in which he is trying to introduce very strong local content from Indonesia but with international benchmarks. (ohw)