EUROPE ON SCREEN 2025

EUROPE ON SCREEN 2025

The annual European Union (EU) film festival, Europe on Screen (EoS), returned for its 25th edition from 13–22 June 2025, with screenings in seven cities: Jakarta, Bandung, Denpasar, Medan, Surabaya, Sidoarjo, and Yogyakarta. This silver anniversary marked a major cultural milestone for the festival, reaffirming its position as Indonesia’s longest-running foreign film event.

EOS is more than just a film screening, but this event can also enable impressive collaborations between European and Indonesian cultural communities. For local filmmakers, EOS can spark their imagination and broaden their perspectives through the films screened as references in their work.

Prior to EoS, pre-festival activities were held through the “Road to EoS 2025” programme. In Surabaya, these activities were held at IFI Surabaya and Wisma Jerman. At Wisma Jerman, the event took place on 11 April 2025. The screening of the Austrian film ‘Mermaids Don’t Cry’ was highlighted by the attendance of Nauval Yazid, co-director of Europe on Screen.

EoS 2025 presented a bold and inclusive selection, with over 50 % of the films directed by women – many of them first-time filmmakers – underscoring the festival’s support for underrepresented voices.

In Surabaya, EoS 2025 was hosted by IFI Surabaya, Wisma Jerman and FISIP UNAIR (organised by EU Centre Surabaya). The screenings at Wisma Jerman were conducted on 15-16 June 2025 and presented 5 films from various genres: Benjamin Bat (Netherlands, animation), Greetings from Mars (Germany, family), Spilt Milk (Ireland, drama), The Missile (Finland, comedy) and Rita (Spain, drama). For the first time ever, the screenings were enriched by one of the film makers represented at Europe on Screen. Brian Durnin, director of the Irish drama ‘Spilt Milk’, had come to Surabaya to meet the audience and share insights about his work.

Durnin is a filmmaker whose short films have been screened at numerous prestigious film festivals such as Tribeca and Raindance film festivals, bagging him awards along the way. He also directed several films for well-known brands like Guinness and Heinz. Spilt Milk (2024) is his feature debut, which won him the Audience Award at Glasgow Film Festival and was nominated for an Irish Film and Television Award for Best Film.

Spilt Milk tells about an eleven-year-old boy who dreams of becoming a great detective like his TV hero, Kojak. He sets up a private investigation enterprise with his best friend. The sudden disappearance of his older brother sets them off on their very first quest. The screening was followed by a lively Q&A with Durnin, moderated by Fauzan Abdillah from INFIS (Independen Film Surabaya).

EoS 2025 at Wisma Jerman was attended by a total of 225 viewers who warmly received it as an alternative holiday activity, offering valuable insights into contemporary European culture. See you at next year’s Europe on Screen with more diverse and exciting films!