Garin film in Berlin festival

Indonesian director Garin Nugroho has once again proven his worth with the inclusion of his newest film Aku Ingin Menciummu Sekali Saja (I Want to Kiss You Just Once) in the 53rd Berlin International Film Festival.

The film, which bears the English title Bird Man Tale, was chosen from 300 entries from around the world, and will compete with 52 other films from 24 countries for a prestigious prize in the International Forum of New Cinema.

Garin will compete with filmmakers from Argentina, China, Japan, Mozambique, Hungary, South Korea, Thailand and the United States.

In his first appearance at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1994, Garin won The Berliner Zeitung prize for Surat untuk Bidadari (Letter for an Angel).

He has been described by Ulrich Gregor, director of International Forum of New Cinema, as the forerunner for Southeast Asian cinema. -- JP