Fjord Opens Jakarta Festival: Mungiu's Oscar Bid

Cristian Mungiu’s Fjord opened the fifth edition of Jakarta World Cinema at CGV Grand Indonesia on Saturday, marking the start of a festival program that runs through Nov. 7.

The event features a total of 207 titles from 69 countries. Of these, 102 are exclusive theatrical screenings, while online streaming launched on Oct. 6 via KlikFilm. The selection includes 120 award winners from major festivals, with 96 films originating from Asia. Women directed 41 of the titles, and 20 are official entries for the international feature category at the 99th Academy Awards.

Dan Adrian Bălănescu, Romania’s ambassador to Indonesia, attended the premiere. He noted that Fjord serves as the Romanian submission for the international feature Oscar at the 2027 Academy Awards. Bălănescu described the film as a courageous critique of contemporary Western society, contrasting this with critical accusations that Mungiu flirts with conservative ideas.

The ambassador quoted a Romanian interview in which Mungiu stated that there is no bravery in making a movie that defends progressive left-wing values. He called such an approach outright provincial and opportunistic.

Tudor Vladimir Panduru, the film’s cinematographer, led a masterclass as the festival’s sole guest for that segment. Panduru identified Fjord as his third collaboration with Mungiu, following Graduation and R.M.N. He noted that this was the first project they shot outside Romania, using English and Norwegian instead of Romanian.

Panduru told the audience that the film explores different values and perspectives. He suggested that watching it helps viewers answer personal questions and understand how to be a better person in society. The festival will conclude with the screening of the Thai horror film Inherit on Nov. 7.