A short film titled "Little Rebels Cinema Club" by Indonesian director Khory Rizal clinched the prestigious Crystal Bear award at the 75th edition of the Berlin International Film Festival, or Berlinale.
The Indonesian short film was awarded the accolade after claiming the top spot in the Generation Kplus Short Film category at the international event that took place on February 13-23, 2025.
According to a statement from the Indonesian Embassy in Berlin, received here on Saturday, the 17-minute film is set in 2008 in Indonesia and follows a 14-year-old boy named Doddy from Parepare City, South Sulawesi, as the main protagonist.
Doddy dreams of making films worthy of being shown in theaters alongside his three best friends. Determined to pursue his ambition, the aspiring filmmaker plans to move to Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital, as his hometown lacks cinemas.
Director Rizal mentioned that his film received an overwhelmingly positive response from the audience at the 2025 Berlinale. Rizal said he sees this as proof that films made by Indonesian directors have the potential to be well-received by the international community.
Apart from the award-winning short film, the 75th Berlinale also featured some other Indonesian films, including "After Colossus" by director Timoteus Anggawan Kusno, "Sammi: Who Can Detach His Body Parts" by director Rein Maychaleson, and "Mirage: Eigenstate" by director Riar Rizaldi.
The Indonesian Embassy in Berlin stated its commitment to supporting more films by Indonesian directors to participate in the next iteration of the Berlin International Film Festival.
To that end, the embassy has been striving to facilitate the establishment of a network that connects Indonesian filmmakers with relevant communities in Germany.
That approach is also expected to build a mutually supportive film ecosystem and solidify Indonesia's film landscape.
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Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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