f e a t u r e
093
Best Documentary went to director James Bradley’s Ochre and Ink, a half-hour portrait of Chinese-born Australian artist Zhou Xiaoping and his close working relationship with indigenous Australian artists. Balinale was the first time Zhou held an exhibition of his work alongside the film’s screening. In accepting the Best Short Film award on behalf of Luminaris by Juan Pablo Zaramella of Argentina, Brazilian Ambassador to Indonesia Paulo Alberto Soares announced that for Balinale 2013, his embassy will host a carnival of Brazilian filmmakers with a focus on the country’s younger generation of creative artists. The festival’s biggest sponsors this year were the W Bali Retreat & Spa, Audi cars, Garuda Indonesia, Max3 by Biznet and Cinema XXI plus the US Embassy, Jakarta.
The Indonesian government endorsed the festival program for its proven efforts in delivering cultural, political and economic benefits, but the festival received no direct funding from the government. However, through the Ministry of Industry, a number of Citilink airline tickets were provided for local filmmakers to attend the event. The festival was started with the aim to attract international filmmakers who would consider Indonesia as a setting for their films, for the locations, the story ideas or the talent. Eat Pray Love was the first significant feature to use locations in Bali and Rob Cohen’s Alex Cross, which had its world premiere two days before the opening of this year’s Balinale and 12 hours before it was released in the US, also did some filming in Bali last year. Other films that have been part or wholly filmed in Indonesia are the IMAX and Warner Bros films’ Under The Sea 3D and Born To Be Wild in 2009 and 2010, and Oliver Stone’s 2012 Savages, which used the country for scenes set in Indonesia and Africa. Recognized in the international arena and on the film festival calendar, Balinale is destined to grow at a steady pace and increase in audience numbers and film industry participants.
www.beatmag.com
The Audience Choice Award was presented during the closing night party at the W Retreat & Spa and went to Lovely Man, directed by Teddy Soeriaatmadja, which was also voted Best Feature and Most Popular Overall Film. The story is about a devout Muslim girl who leaves her village to travel to Jakarta to find her estranged father, only to learn that he is a transvestite prostitute. Earlier this year Donny Damara was honored as best actor at the Asian Film Awards for his lead performance in the film and was at the closing to present the film and accept the award.