Returning for its 26th edition, Europe on Screen (EoS) once again brings contemporary European cinema to audiences across the archipelago, offering free screenings in eight Indonesian cities and reaffirming the enduring appeal of international film culture in Southeast Asia.
EoS has quietly established itself as one of Indonesia’s most enduring and accessible cultural festivals. Since its establishment in 1990, Europe on Screen has remained committed to making cinema accessible to wider audiences, becoming one of the few major film festivals in Indonesia that continues to provide free public admission.
This year, audiences in Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Denpasar, Yogyakarta, Medan, Sidoarjo and Semarang will have the opportunity to watch 55 films from 28 European countries, ranging from intimate dramas and socially conscious documentaries to experimental works and family-oriented features.
The festival opens with The Baronesses (Les Baronnes), a Belgian comedy-drama directed by mother-and-son filmmaking duo Mokhtaria Badaoui and Nabil Ben Yadir. Set in Brussels, the film follows a group of elderly women who rediscover long-forgotten ambitions through participation in a theatre performance. Both humorous and deeply empathetic, the film has already received international recognition after screening at the Namur International Francophone Film Festival and earning the Rebels with a Cause award at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in 2025.
Closing this year’s festival is Atlas of the Universe (Atlasul Universului), a Romanian-Bulgarian co-production directed by Paul Negoescu. Premiered earlier this year at the Berlin International Film Festival in the Generation Kplus section, the coming-of-age drama centres on a ten-year-old boy searching for his missing left shoe. What begins as a seemingly simple childhood adventure gradually unfolds into a reflective exploration of imagination, vulnerability and emotional resilience.
Beyond screening acclaimed European productions, EoS has increasingly positioned itself as a platform for nurturing Indonesia’s next generation of filmmakers. One of its most significant initiatives is the Short Film Pitching Project (SFPP), developed in collaboration with Indonesia’s Ministry of Culture and SAE Institute. The programme continues to attract aspiring filmmakers from across the country, and this year received 202 submissions spanning regions as diverse as West Sumatra and Papua. The breadth of participation reflects the growing confidence and geographical diversity of Indonesia’s emerging film community.
As part of that commitment, the festival will premiere three short films developed through the previous edition of SFPP: Sang Penjaga (Echoes of The Universe) by Sesarini and Lyza Anggraheni, Pool Party by Aisyah Aulia and Adrian Fauzi, and In The Name of Me by Teresa Katarina and Jonathan Gradiyan. Their inclusion highlights Europe on Screen’s dual role not only as a showcase for European cinema, but also as an important cultural bridge supporting local creative voices.
The 2026 edition will also feature international guests from the European film industry, including Irish filmmaker Damian McCann and Filipina actress Zar Donato, who appears in the Cypriot production Maricel (2025). Both are expected to participate in public discussions and post-screening Q&A sessions, giving Indonesian audiences rare opportunities to engage directly with filmmakers and performers from abroad.
At a time when global film consumption is increasingly dominated by streaming platforms and commercial franchises, EoS continues to offer something distinctly communal and human: the shared experience of watching diverse stories unfold in cinemas and cultural spaces across Indonesia. More than simply a film festival, EoS has become an enduring cultural exchange platform.
All screenings are free and open to the public, with tickets distributed on-site one hour before each screening. Full schedules and programme information are available through EoS’s official website and social media platforms.
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