Bali is once again preparing to welcome Minikino Film Week (MFW) 11, an international short film festival based in Denpasar, to be held 12–19 September, 2025. This year, the festival will take place across various locations in Bali, with the main activities centered at Dharma Negara Alaya and MASH Denpasar. For over a decade, MFW has served as a meeting ground for filmmakers, audiences, and industry professionals from around the world. It’s a space where cross-cultural stories meet, new perspectives are opened, and collaborative networks grow.

"While we celebrate stories from around the globe, it's impossible to ignore the pain and anxiety happening in various parts of the world. In times like these, the value of meeting and connecting across cultures becomes more urgent. Short films have the power to bridge gaps—between languages, cultures, and between dreams and hopes—ultimately becoming bridges between people," said Edo Wulia, Festival Director.

This year, MFW11 brings a renewed spirit: setting the audience at the focus of the festival. The festival’s art features 11 audience member characters created by illustrator Beng Rahadian, each inspired by the diverse cinematic experiences of short film enthusiasts. Beng emphasizes a simple yet powerful message: 

"In every festival, the real stars are the audience. Filmmakers already have the sportlight—but what does that spotlight mean without an audience?"

Beyond centering the audience, the scale of the festival this year has also expanded. MFW11 presents 254 short films from 59 countries, curated in 34 programs screened at multiple venues. Throughout the festival period, 196 activities will take place, including public screenings, discussions, markets, and educational activities. These numbers reaffirm MFW11's position as one of the most dynamic short film festivals in the region, with a reach that continues to grow year after year. With this approach, MFW11 emphasizes its role not only as a short film screening festival, but also as a shared space for exchanging perspectives, bridging cultures, and celebrating human connection through short films.

Fransiska Prihadi, MFW11 Program Director, highlights that this year’s curation invites audiences to see the world through diverse points of view—both intimate and expansive: 

"In a world full of change, short films become an alternative way to understand the time we live in and step outside mainstream narratives. Every short film in MFW11 is an invitation to pause, listen, and open up to life experiences that are often deeply personal for filmmakers around the world, including those from Indonesia. We believe that this diversity of perspectives is what brings the festival to life."

Continuing in this spirit, MFW11 presents a variety of programs to engage all layers of the short film ecosystem: filmmakers, audiences, communities, and industry professionals. One of the festival’s key highlights is the Short Film Market, now in its seventh year. Here, intergenerational and intercommunity conversations take place, ideas are exchanged, and new collaborations begin.

“The Short Film Market is where the energy of the short film ecosystem is at its most vibrant. It’s where filmmakers and professionals meet, share experiences, and discover opportunities for collaboration,” said Putu Wulandari Dyana, Short Film Market Coordinator.

Besides that, MFW11 also strengthens its international network through the Bali-Glasgow Filmmaker & Programme Exchange, a collaboration with Glasgow Short Film Festival (GSFF) supported by the British Council through the program Connections Through Culture. Along with GSFF Director Matt Lloyd, Scottish filmmaker Holly Parnell will visit Bali to develop their new film project, while Indonesian filmmaker Haris Yuliyanto and Minikino Program Director Fransiska Prihadi had previously represented Indonesia at GSFF in March. As part of this short film program exchange, GSFF will also bring a short film program titled “Whatever It Takes” to MFW11.

Support for emerging talent also plays a key role in MFW11 through Shorts Up 2025, an incubation program first launched in 2024 by Minikino with full support from National Talent Management for Arts and Culture, now in collaboration with Purin Film Fund (Thailand). Four selected groups of young filmmakers have undergone a mentoring process since June and will present their short film projects during the festival. This program is an important stepping stone for the next generation of filmmakers to enter the broader film ecosystem. Beyond supporting filmmakers, MFW11 is also committed to expanding access for audiences through Inclusive Cinema. This year, the festival has prepared 5 films with Audio Description (AD) for visually impaired viewers and 5 films with Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (SDH). This initiative affirms MFW11's effort to provide a more equal and inclusive viewing experience for everyone.

Recognizing the educational potential of short films, Minikino also continues its development of MFW Education that launched in 2024—a new division dedicated to using short films as learning tools for children, teens, schools, and communities. This year, MFW11 invites communities, teachers, and students from Denpasar, Badung, Tabanan, and Buleleng to actively participate in its educational programs. Nearly 60 short films across more than 10 programs will be provided with a Watch & Learn Guide designed to facilitate post-screening discussions, aiming to foster critical thinking and broaden participants' perspectives. Additionally, Community Screenings, in collaboration with local communities across Bali—ranging from creative spaces and schools to cultural centers—will help broaden access to short films and invite new audiences to participate.

“Short films spark curiosity, build empathy, and train critical thinking. That’s why we work with schools and communities to broaden access and provide deep viewing experiences,” said Ritaro Hari Wangsa from the MFW Education Team.

Through all these initiatives, Minikino aims to cultivate a healthy and sustainable short film ecosystem. By bringing together audiences, filmmakers, communities, and industry professionals, MFW11 creates a space where stories converge and the future of short filmmaking is built together.

Minikino Film Week 11 invites everyone to watch, discuss, and celebrate short films together. Full festival program information is available in the online catalogue:https://minikino.org/filmweek

Let’s celebrate short films together. Let’s celebrate our stories.

Minikino Film Week

Minikino yayasan Kino Media Jl Pulau Madura No.5 Denpasar - Bali Indonesia

Phone : +62 878 5368 6813

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