Edwin — Director | Biography, Movies & Career

Biography

Edwin was born in Surabaya, East Java (born April 24, 1978) is an Indonesian film director, screenwriter, editor, and producer who has received various international awards.

He began his career by making short films, one of which, "Kara, Anak Sebatang Pohon" (2005), became the first Indonesian short film to be selected for the Directors' Fortnight at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival. His feature film debut, "Blind Pig Who Wants to Fly" (2008), received critical acclaim and won several awards at international festivals. The film explores the issue of discrimination against the Chinese-Indonesian community with a unique and symbolic approach.

In 2012, his film "Postcards from the Zoo" competed in the main competition at the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale), one of the world's three major and oldest film festivals. Edwin is also known for "Posesif" (2017), a teenage drama highlighting toxic relationships. This film won him the Best Director award at the 2017 Indonesian Film Festival (FFI).

His greatest achievement came with "Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash" (2021), an adaptation of Eka Kurniawan’s novel. The film won the Golden Leopard at the 2021 Locarno International Film Festival, making Edwin the first Indonesian director to receive this prestigious award. Additionally, Edwin is an active director at Palari Films, continuously contributing to Indonesian cinema with innovative and bold works.