KinoFest 2023: A German Film Festival Across Southeast Asia and the Pacific
KinoFest 2023 marks the second edition of the annual German film festival organized by the Goethe-Institut, taking place from September to November 2023 across various cities in Southeast Asia and the Pacific region.
After debuting as an online event last year, KinoFest returns this year in an offline format. The festival travels to multiple countries, including Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, New Zealand, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam, reaffirming its commitment to expanding access to contemporary German cinema in the region.
KinoFest 2023 is a joint production by eight Goethe-Institut offices in Southeast Asia, presenting a selection of recent German films released between 2021 and 2023. The program reflects the breadth of current German filmmaking, offering works that range from drama and documentary to comedy, fiction, and thriller.
“This year, KinoFest presents a wide spectrum of films, from drama, documentary, comedy, and fiction to thrillers. The German films featured address important issues such as interconnection, migration, and belonging,” – Dr. Ingo Schöningh, Head of the Regional Cultural Program at the Goethe-Institut for Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.
In Indonesia, KinoFest can be enjoyed free of charge from 21 to 27 September at GoetheHaus Jakarta, and from 22 to 27 September at Institut français Indonesia Bandung. A total of 15 films will be screened in Jakarta, while audiences in Bandung will have access to 12 selected titles.
Curator Gugi Gumilang explained that the festival’s selection stems from a desire to show German cinema as a convergence of diverse voices and influences. According to him, the films presented reflect Germany’s complex history as well as its continually evolving cultural landscape.
In Jakarta, KinoFest 2023 will open with Roter Himmel (2022), directed by Christian Petzold. The film, which received the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the 2023 Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale), follows four young people who meet at a holiday house by the Baltic Sea. As forest fires draw closer, their emotions surface—joy, desire, and love collide with jealousy, anger, and tension.
Further information about KinoFest 2023 can be accessed through the Goethe-Institut Indonesia website, including the full screening schedule at GoetheHaus Jakarta.
21 September 2023
- 19.00 WIB:Rotter Himmel (2022) by Christian Petzold (invitation only).
22 September 2023
- 15.00 WIB: Nasim (2021) by Arne Büttner & Ole Jacobs
- 17.30 WIB:Toubab (2022) by Florian Dietrich
- 19.30 WIB: Sisi und Ich (2023) by Frauke Finsterwalder
23 September 2023
- 13.00 WIB: Alle reden übers Wetter (2022) by Annika Pinske
- 15.00 WIB: Wir könnten genauso gut tot sein (2022) by Natalia Sinelnikova
- 17.00 WIB: Le Prince (2021) by Lisa Bierwirth
- 19.30 WIB: Bis ans Ende der Nacht (2023) by Christoph Hochhäusler
24 September 2023
- 13.00 WIB: Republic of Silence (2021) by Diana El Jeiroudi
- 17.00 WIB:Elaha (2023) by Milena Aboyan
- 19.30 WIB: Toubab (2022) by Florian Dietrich
25 September 2023
- 17.00 WIB: Hao Are You (2023) by Dieu Hao Do
- 19.00 WIB: Sonne und Beton (2023) by David Wnendt
26 September 2023
- 15.00 WIB: Sonne und Beton (2023) by David Wnendt
- 17.30 WIB:Iron Butterflies (2023) by Roman Liubyi
- 19.30 WIB: Wir könnten genauso gut tot sein (2022) by Natalia Sinelnikova
27 September 2023
- 15.00 WIB:Toubab (2022) by Florian Dietrich
- 17.00 WIB: Elaha (2023) by Milena Aboyan
- 19.30 WIB: Liebe, D-Mark und Tod (2022) by Cem Kaya
Baca juga: Kinofest Kuratorial: Daftar Film Pilihan Festival Film Jerman 2023
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