A pre-festival press and public gathering to welcome the 19th edition of BALINALE – Bali Film Festival was held at the Bali Beach Garden Terrace of The Meru Sanur on Thursday, 20 April 2026.
On hand at the event was a broad sampling of “Sanurians” together with the Secretary of the City of Denpasar, I Gusti Ngurah Eddy Mulya, accompanied by the Head of Tourism and the Creative Economy, Anak Agung Ngurah Mahendra Putra. Also attending the event was the Consul-General of Australia (Ms.) Jo Stevens.
Hosting the evening’s event was BALINALE Founder and Chief Executive, Deborah Gabinetti.
Addressing the audience, Eddy Mulya said the internationally acclaimed BALINALE plays a strategic role in supporting Denpasar and Bali’s tourism sector. Adding, “this is the segment of tourism to strengthen the quality of the Capital’s tourism industry and is not only focused on the quantity of visitors.”
Continuing, Mulya said that the tourism attendees at events like BALINALE are not only in search of entertainment, but also are seeking a cultural experience, an exchange of ideas, and the opportunity to enjoy and appreciate films from around the world. Because of these factors, the government of the Denpasar Municipality supports a sustainable creative economy that also strengthens Sanur as a center for culture and creativity.
“We believe that the best investment for the future of Denpasar’s tourism is investing in creative human resources, namely the young filmmakers, artists, and cultural communities sitting with us (this evening) in this room,” emphasized Eddy Mulya.
The 19th edition of BALINALE will be headquartered at the ICON Bali Mall, with films exhibited at CINEMA XXI and a number of other select venues in Sanur.
Meanwhile, Balinale Festival Director Deborah Gabinetti explained that Road to Balinale 2026 is not only a promotional event, but also a space for interaction between local communities, creative industry players, and filmmakers in a relaxed atmosphere on Sanur Beach.
Gabintetti said BALINALE aims to introduce Indonesian cinematic stories to an international audience, showcase talented local filmmakers, and raise global awareness of Indonesia’s outstanding shooting locations. BALINALE is credited with paving the way for Bali’s selection as the setting for the Hollywood major film – “Eat, Pray, Love.”
Deborah said she is witnessing a global trend among international filmmakers to come to Indonesia, especially among independent filmmakers. “What matters,” she said, “is that Indonesian talent and creativity are being employed.”
The 19th edition of Balinale will take place from June 1–7, 2026, featuring approximately 100 films from 35 countries. The festival will also feature 20 world premieres, 10 international premieres, and 26 Asian premieres.
In addition to film screenings, Balinale 2026 will also host global creative talent development programs, including the Art of the Score initiative, developed in collaboration with The Juilliard School since 2021. The Juilliard School collaboration seeks to introduce musical talent with artists from a number of creative disciplines.
During a question-and-answer session conducted by Yoke Darmawan, the General Manager of The Meru Sanur. Melody Siagian said Sanur’s newest five-star hotel supports BALINALE because it shares the event’s vision of Sanur as an outstanding tourism destination, underlining the area’s long history as a center for the arts and culture.
About Balinale
Bali International Film Festival (Balinale) was established in 2007. The festival is recognized internationally for its varied programming of global independent cinema and for significantly promoting Indonesian film and
creative industries through global industry events, film associations, and established professional affiliations. The national and provincial governments endorse Balinale for its proven efforts in delivering cultural, civic, and economic benefits to the country. The festival was founded by Bali Film Center (BFC), a private company that has been providing professional film and television production services in Indonesia since 2002.
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