Cristian Mungiu’s acclaimed film “Fjord,” which recently secured the prestigious Palme d’Or, has added another accolade to its name by winning the Audience Award at the Jakarta World Cinema. The festival concluded with Banjong Pisanthanakun’s Thai horror feature “Inherit” and presented funding to three Indonesian short filmmakers for their debut feature projects.
Audience Award and Festival Highlights
“Fjord” not only opened the festival but also took home the Jakarta World Cinema Audience Award, marking it as the sole feature prize awarded at the event.
Support for Emerging Filmmakers
The festival’s closing ceremony also featured the winners of the KlikFilm Short Movie Competition, organized by the Indonesian streaming platform that powers the festival. Following an open submission period from April to July, the competition attracted over 300 short films from across the nation. The jury comprised notable figures in the industry, including horror director Joko Anwar (“Impetigore”), writer-director Gina S. Noer (“Two Blue Stripes”), and Khozy Rizal, whose short “Basri & Salma in a Never-Ending Comedy” was showcased at Cannes.
The top award went to Jusuf Witjaksono for his film “Karim,” which will receive full production and distribution funding for his debut feature from Falcon Pictures. The first runner-up was Adam Hasyim Al Raschid’s “Air Pangea,” followed closely by Ali Yafie Muzaki’s “The Grave of Dreams,” both of whom will also receive full funding for their debut features from KlikFilm.
Short Film Awards and Festival Success
Zaky Alfawwaz’s “Callsh#t” won the Audience Award for short films, while Michael Juan Saptayada’s “OTW” was honored with the Special Jury Prize.
Before the screening of “Inherit,” the festival team expressed gratitude to attendees. Frederica, the festival’s executive director, announced that over 25,000 people participated in screenings at CGV Grand Indonesia throughout the eight-day event.
Star-Studded Closing Ceremony
Pisanthanakun and star Davika Hoorne participated in a lively Q&A session during the film’s Indonesian premiere. The director revealed that Hoorne’s wardrobe for the film was extravagantly priced, notably a Gucci dress that cost THB3 million (approximately $89,500).
Jakarta World Cinema 2026 Winners
Jakarta World Cinema Audience Award
“Fjord,” Cristian Mungiu
KlikFilm Short Movie Competition
First Winner: “Karim,” Jusuf Witjaksono
First Runner-up: “Air Pangea,” Adam Hasyim Al Raschid
Second Runner-up: “The Grave of Dreams,” Ali Yafie Muzaki
Audience Award: “Callsh#t,” Zaky Alfawwaz
Special Jury Prize: “OTW,” Michael Juan Saptayada
