RRI.CO.ID, Bandung - The Goethe-Institut Bandung has returned with Seriale Indonesia, an international series festival that opens opportunities for developing stories in television, web, and streaming formats.

After a successful inaugural edition last year, the 2026 edition ran from 23–26 July 2026 at the Goethe-Institut Bandung in West Java, offering a richer program that brought Indonesian creators together with filmmakers from around the world.

As a sister festival to die Seriale in Germany, Seriale Indonesia provides a unique platform to share works, hold dialogues, and build cross-border networks. The festival partnered with the Spanish Embassy and local organizations including the Bandung Film Commission, Bahasinema, and several leading universities in Bandung.

Director of the Goethe-Institut Bandung, Matthias Ventker, said at the launch on Friday, 24 July 2026, that the festival presented many series from Indonesia, Germany, Spain and other countries. The program covered a wide range of genres, from horror and children’s series to other formats.

He also revealed that the Goethe-Institut Bandung will present awards, including one for the best Indonesian series. The winner will be invited to Germany to present their series in Gießen at the die Seriale festival.

“We also collaborate extensively with universities in Bandung, particularly film departments. We run an inter-university competition in which each university produces one series and a jury selects the best,” he said.

Ventker explained that the main idea behind Seriale Indonesia is to connect Indonesian filmmakers with peers from Germany and other countries, fostering relationships and building a broad network of series creators.

He added that Seriale Indonesia serves as a space where people can meet and form human-level connections. “Cultural projects like Seriale play a very crucial and important role,” he said.

Beyond its diplomatic function, Ventker said the festival is a vehicle for cultural exchange and plays an important role in Indonesia–Germany relations.

“Germany and Indonesia share a very strong and remarkable relationship that we have nurtured for a long time. Next year we will celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations, but this cooperation and friendship go far beyond classic diplomacy,” he said.

Director of the Seriesland Bilbao Festival and a filmmaker representing Spain, Rose of Dolls, voiced similar views. She said Seriesland has collaborated with Seriale since its second edition.

“Seriesland is a festival in Bilbao, Spain. We have maintained an excellent exchange every year for the past 11 years. We swap series, cooperate across our festivals, help each other grow, exchange ideas, and that supports creators,” she said.

This year, 29 nominated series across genres, such as drama, documentary, horror, and children’s programs, were featured. The nominations came from Indonesia, Germany, and other countries, reflecting diverse storytelling styles and cultural perspectives.

The presence of these works demonstrates how the series format has become an increasingly important creative medium for connecting audiences across borders. Nominees will compete for the top award and have the opportunity to be showcased in die Seriale 2026 in Germany, opening pathways for Indonesian and international works to gain wider recognition on the global stage. (Annaila Azzahra-EN)