Jakarta World Cinema opened its fifth edition at CGV Grand Indonesia with “Fjord,” the Palme d’Or-winning film directed by Cristian Mungiu. The opening brought attention to Romania’s submission for the international feature Oscar at the 2027 Academy Awards, alongside a festival program spanning 207 titles from 69 countries.

Romania’s ambassador to Indonesia, Dan Adrian Bălănescu, expressed pride in the film and said he hoped it would resonate with audiences in Indonesia. In his remarks, he described contrasting critical responses to Mungiu’s work, including disagreement over the ideas the director explores and the film’s treatment of contemporary Western society.

According to Bălănescu, some critics have accused Mungiu of entertaining conservative ideas, while others have praised the film as a courageous examination of Western society. The ambassador also referred to an interview in Romania in which Mungiu argued that defending progressive left-wing values in a movie was not an act of bravery, describing that approach as provincial and opportunistic.

The film’s cinematographer, Tudor Vladimir Panduru, attended as the festival’s only masterclass guest. He told the audience that “Fjord” was his third collaboration with Mungiu, following their work together on “Graduation” and “R.M.N.” The production also represented a change in both location and language for their collaboration.

Panduru explained that it was the first film they had made together outside Romania and the first they had shot in languages other than Romanian. “Fjord” uses English and Norwegian. Speaking about its themes, he said the film addresses differing values and perspectives, encouraging viewers to consider questions for themselves and reflect on how to be better members of society.

Beyond its opening selection, Jakarta World Cinema’s program includes 102 titles screening exclusively in theaters. Online streaming started on Oct. 6 through KlikFilm. Across the full selection of 207 films, 120 have received awards at major festivals.

Asian cinema represents 96 films in the lineup, while 41 of the selected films were directed by women. The program also includes 20 official submissions for the international feature category at the 99th Academy Awards, placing Oscar entries alongside the festival’s wider international selection.

The fifth edition of Jakarta World Cinema will conclude on Nov. 7 with a screening of the Thai horror film “Inherit.”