An annual film festival and solidified as the longest-running international film festival in Indonesia, Europe on Screen (EoS) returns to captivate film enthusiasts who can watch the diversity of European culture through the latest contemporary European films.

The 24th edition EoS is set to kick off on 7 to 16 June 2024, which coincides with long school holidays where film enthusiasts can take advantage of this event to broaden their mind about European culture and its film industries.

This edition, the festival will be screened 75 latest European films, both short and long films, from 28 European countries, among them is a film that is very suitable to watch with family, Chicken for Linda! (France 2023). This animated comedy film by Sebastien Laudenbach and Chiara Malta has been selected as the opening film of the festival. This film won Best Feature at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival 2023 and the Meilleur film d’animation at the Cesar Awards 2023, as well as a nomination for Best Animated Feature at the Ottawa International Animation Festival 2023.

Those who like a comedy and musical film, Gloria (Italy 2024) by Margherita Vicario is one of the recommendations. Set in the late 18th century in Venice in a convent boarding school for girls, this inspiring film tells the story of Teresa, a young woman with visionary abilities. Together with a small group of extraordinary musicians, she leaps across the centuries and defies the dusty old regime by inventing rebellious, light, and modern music.

And, don’t miss a Michael Fetter Nathansky’s film Every You Every Me (Germany 2024), the fantasy romance that premiered in the Panorama section of the Berlin International Film Festival 2024 and was nominated in the Best Cinematography in Feature Film category at the Deutscher Kamerapreis 2024. The film starring Aenne Schwarz and Carlo Ljubek, is set against the industrial backdrop of Europe’s largest lignite mining area, about the initial magic of falling in love and the painful process of falling out of love. This film has been selected as the closing film of the festival.

EoS 2024 also features three short films from Indonesia and an Indonesia film shot in Europe, as well as fringe events related to the film industries of Europe and Indonesia.

To contribute to the Indonesian film industry as well as to bridge the European and Indonesian film industries, the festival holds a Short Film Pitching Project competition where winners will receive partial funding for their film production.

It’s not about screening interesting films, EoS also hosts prominent figures from the film industry. This year, the Irish screenwriter Eamon Little will be a festival guest. The screenwriter of That They May Face the Rising Sun (2023) will conduct a scriptwriting workshop in Jakarta and those who are interested in learning about film script writing can prepare to register, for free.

The festival also highlights the legendary Italian director Lina Wertmuller, who became the first female director in the world to be nominated for Best Director at the 1976 Academy Awards. Her classic films: The Lizards (1963), Swept Away (1974), and Seven Beauties (1975) can be watched in the festival’s Retrospective Programme, and an exhibition of her work can be enjoyed at the Istituto italiano di Cultura Jakarta.

“We see a growing enthusiasm from the Indonesian public towards Europe on Screen, with many
requests to hold this festival in their cities. Therefore, we have added two new cities: Malang and
Sidoarjo, making a total of eight cities for EoS 2024. In addition, we will present films from 28
European countries, including three countries that are joining for the first time this year: Cyprus,
Lithuania, and Georgia,” said the Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Indonesia, H.E. Denis
Chaibi.

EoS 2024 presents in eight big cities in Indonesia: Jakarta, Bandung, Denpasar, Malang, Medan, Sidoarjo, Surabaya, and Yogyakarta. For Jakarta itself, there are eight venues, available at the Austrian Embassy, British Council Indonesia, Erasmus Huis, GoetheHaus, Institut Francais Indonesia (IFI) Thamrin, Istituto Italiano di Cultura, Kineforum, and SAE Indonesia.

Films at EoS 2024 can be screened for free. Tickets can only be obtained at the screening venue starting from an hour before the film starts. Audiences are required to fill a registration form via QR codes in order to get a ticket. Please be informed that one email address is valid for one ticket only. Doors will be closed 10 minutes after the film starts or as soon as all seats are taken.

All information regarding EoS 2024, including film screening schedules and events taking place during the festival, can be found at europeonscreen.org and Europe on Screen official accounts on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Facebook.

NOW! Jakarta

NOW! Jakarta

The article is produced by editorial team of NOW!Jakarta