Indonesian filmmaker Garin Nugroho's films to be screened at 30th IFFK

Five films directed by celebrated Indonesian filmmaker Garin Nugroho, who is regarded as one of the most influential voices in contemporary world cinema, will be screened at the 30th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK). The films will be showcased in the Contemporary Filmmaker in Focus section of the festival, which will be held in Thiruvananthapuram from December 12 to 19, 2025. Nugroho’s films have been previously been screened at prestigious festivals such as Cannes, Venice, Berlin, and Locarno.

‘Bird Man Tale,’ ‘A Poet: Unconcealed Poetry,’ ‘Samsara,’ ‘Whispers in the Dabdas,’ and ‘Letter to an Angel.’ Bird Man Tale follows the story of 15-year-old Arnold, who pursues a girl he wishes to kiss, set against the sociopolitical backdrop of Papua’s vocal demand for independence.

‘A Poet: Unconcealed Poetry’ won the FIPRESCI Award at the 2001 Singapore International Film Festival and also received the Silver Leopard at Locarno. The narrative unfolds entirely within two prison cells and is shot completely in black and white. Through the experiences of poet Ibrahim Kadir—imprisoned for alleged communist sympathies—the film exposes the harsh reality faced by Indonesia’s political prisoners.

Released in 2024, ‘Samsara’ is a silent love story set in 1930s Bali. It narrates the life of an impoverished man who performs a dark ritual to gain wealth to earn the approval of the wealthy parents of the woman he loves. ‘Whispers in the Dabdas’ depicts the plight of a lawyer compelled to operate within a corrupt justice system aligned with the wealthy and powerful. ‘Letter to an Angel’ (1994) tells the story of a boy named Lewa, who believes in an angel that protects the Earth. It is also notable as the first film to be shot on Sumba Island.