Laut Bercerita Film Enters Main Competition at BIFF 2026

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Pal8 Pictures’ debut feature, Laut Bercerita (The Sea Speaks His Name), directed by Yosep Anggi Noen, has been selected for the main competition at the 2026 Busan International Film Festival (BIFF). The film will compete against a slate of international titles for the festival’s Best Film award.

BIFF 2026 is scheduled to run from 6–15 October 2026 in Busan, South Korea, where Laut Bercerita will have its world premiere. Following its Busan screening, the film is set for a nationwide theatrical release in Indonesia on 29 October 2026. The festival slot is seen as a strategic platform to introduce the Indonesian story to Asian and global audiences ahead of its domestic launch.

“Busan International Film Festival is the right platform for the first audience to watch this film, a film that carries a story about Indonesia, viewed by Asian and international cinema audiences,” said producer Gita Fara in an official statement on Tuesday, 1 September 2026.

She added that Laut Bercerita presents an Indonesian narrative intended to spark wider conversation, with hopes that the Busan screening will raise its profile across Asia.

Director Yosep Anggi Noen described BIFF as a key festival for Asian and world cinema, noting the personal significance of returning to Busan after nearly two decades in the industry. “Being in the main competition, Laut Bercerita brings a story that is important to voice to the world. Nineteen years ago, at the start of my film career, I joined a beginner’s film workshop in Busan,” said Anggi.

He assessed that Indonesian films are gaining greater international attention and can now stand alongside works from other countries.

“Indonesian films are now distributed worldwide, proof that stories from Indonesia are globally relevant. On the other hand, their quality keeps improving because they can be placed alongside world-class films,” he said.

The 2026 edition marks the 31st BIFF, a festival with a prominent position in Asian cinema and one that is recognized in the eligibility requirements for the Academy Awards.

Recent changes to the 99th Academy Awards rules have opened new pathways for the BIFF Best Film winner. The film can now be submitted for consideration in the Best International Feature Film category, separate from each country’s official submission process.

Laut Bercerita is adapted from Leila S. Chudori’s best-selling novel of the same title. Yosep Anggi Noen directs and co-wrote the screenplay with Chudori.

The ensemble cast includes Reza Rahadian, Yunita Siregar, Eva Celia, and Christine Hakim, alongside Arswendy Bening Swara, Dian Sastrowardoyo, Yoga Pratama, Kevin Julio, and Ibnu Jamil.

The film is produced by Gita Fara, Leila S. Chudori, and Budi Setyarso. It is produced by Pal8 Pictures with support from VMS Studio, Jagartha, Lynx Films, Gambar Gerak Film, and Brandlink. (Annaila Azzahra-EN)