Film News Today — September 23, 2026
‘Ah Girl,’ ‘The Sea Speaks His Name’ to Bookend Jakarta Film Week and more — today's film signal.
The world of cinema is abuzz with exciting developments as film festivals and awards seasons heat up. In a flurry of announcements, several films have been selected to open or compete in prestigious festivals. The Jakarta Film Week is set to kick off with 'Ah Girl' and close with 'The Sea Speaks His Name', while the Doha Film Festival will open with Sara Ishaq's civil war drama 'The Station'. Meanwhile, Italy has chosen Paolo Strippoli's thriller 'The Spiral' for the international feature race at the Oscars, joining a growing list of international submissions from countries including France, Spain, Poland, and Indonesia.
As the film industry converges on various festivals and showcases, emerging talent and innovative storytelling are taking center stage. The Finnish Film Affair has highlighted the Nordic region's rich talent pool, with participants from the Nordic Genre Lab unpacking survival, horror, and dystopian films. Similarly, the Madrid Film School's ECAM Incubator has provided a platform for Eire Cid's 'The Imaginary Kings' to shine, with the director describing her film as 'fluorescent, dirty and sexy'. With these and other films making waves, it's clear that the global film scene is thriving, with fresh voices and perspectives pushing the boundaries of storytelling and style.
Today's signal:
• ‘Ah Girl,’ ‘The Sea Speaks His Name’ to Bookend Jakarta Film Week (variety.com)
• Oscars: Italy Selects Paolo Strippoli’s Thriller ‘The Spiral’ for International Feature Race (variety.com)
• Yemeni-Scottish Director Sara Ishaq’s Civil War Drama ‘The Station’ Set as Doha Film Festival Opener (variety.com)
• International Oscar Submissions: France, Spain, Poland, Indonesia and More Join the List (variety.com)
• Finnish Film Affair: Survival, Horror, Dystopian Pics Unpacked by Nordic Genre Lab Participants: ‘The Base of Nordic Talent Is Deep’ (variety.com)
• ‘Fluorescent, Dirty and Sexy’: Eire Cid’s ‘The Imaginary Kings’ Presented at Madrid Film School (ECAM) Incubator (variety.com)