Three Indonesian Films Sweep Awards at Bulgarian Film Festival

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Three films by Indonesian filmmakers have won awards at the Golden FEMI Film Festival 2026 in Sofia, Bulgaria, demonstrating that stories from the archipelago are increasingly appreciated by cross-cultural audiences. “Film can present stories about humanity, culture, and hope that can be understood by anyone, anywhere,” said Indonesian Ambassador to Bulgaria, Listiana Operananta, as reported by the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs portal on Tuesday. The ambassador added that film is an important medium for building understanding between nations. The three award-winning films include the feature film “Solata” by director and producer Ichwan Persada, which received the “Special Award for Cinema from the Emerald of the Equator: Cultural Contribution and Humanism” for its narrative strength in elevating cultural and humanistic values. Meanwhile, the documentary “DJUM” by Ahmad Brilian Maulana Vitjayanto and the student film “Dolanan Nusantara” by Dimas Surya Pratama also won awards in their respective categories. The award for “Solata” was received directly by Ichwan Persada in Sofia, while the awards for “DJUM” and “Dolanan Nusantara” were accepted by Ambassador Listiana Operananta on behalf of the Indonesian filmmakers who were unable to attend the event held on 6 June. The success was achieved amid the momentum of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Bulgaria, which is expected to further encourage the promotion of Indonesian culture and the strengthening of the national creative industry on a global level. This year’s Golden FEMI Film Festival took place under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Iliana Iotova, and was attended by film industry players from various countries. During the awards night, in addition to Indonesia, several ambassadors from friendly countries were present, including from Armenia, Lebanon, Mongolia, Morocco, Poland, and Argentina.