From Sold-Out Balinale Screening to Hollywood: Indonesian Thriller Bandit Set for Dances With Films World Premiere

Bali-set action thriller showcases a rising wave of Indonesian cinema for global audiences

LOS ANGELES, June 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Following a sold-out special screening at the Bali International Film Festival (Balinale) that exceeded capacity and left audience members sitting on the floor, the Indonesian crime thriller Bandit will make its World Premiere in Los Angeles at the 29th Annual Dances With Films Festival on Friday, June 26, 2026, at 9:15 p.m. at the historic TCL Chinese Theatres in Hollywood.

Part crime thriller, part survival story, Bandit follows two friends with a checkered past who make one last desperate play for cash by stealing an abandoned Mercedes G-Wagon. What begins as an easy score quickly spirals into chaos when they discover a dead body in the trunk, launching them into a dangerous overnight odyssey through Bali's criminal underworld.

As international audiences continue to embrace fresh cinematic voices from around the globe, Bandit arrives amid the rising wave of Indonesian cinema. While films from South Korea, India, and Japan have found devoted audiences worldwide, Indonesia is emerging as one of Asia's most exciting filmmaking communities. Combining universally relatable themes with a distinctly Indonesian perspective, Bandit offers audiences an exhilarating entry point into a new generation of Indonesian storytellers creating films with global appeal.

"Bandit's perspective on the thriller genre is quite unique, taking place in Bali," said Ariana Farina, Narrative Features Programming Chair and Senior Producer at Dances With Films: LA. "These unique voices are one of the things that make the DWF:LA lineup rich and special. It's an honor to discover and showcase global films from all over the world."

Shot entirely on location in Bali, Bandit showcases a side of the island rarely seen by international audiences. Beyond the postcard-perfect beaches and luxury resorts lies a fast-paced crime thriller driven by universal themes of brotherhood, desperation, loyalty, and survival.

"Audiences around the world know Bali as a dream destination," said director Brian L. Tan ("BLT"). "Bandit reveals another side of the island while telling a story that could resonate anywhere. At its heart, it's about friendship, bad decisions, and what happens when ordinary people find themselves caught in a situation spiraling beyond their control."

Dances With Films has built a reputation as one of the industry's leading showcases for emerging talent and breakthrough independent cinema, providing a platform for filmmakers whose voices help shape the future of storytelling.

For audiences eager to discover the next generation of international genre filmmaking, Bandit delivers a thrilling ride and an exciting introduction to contemporary Indonesian cinema.

For press, screening links are available upon request.

WORLD PREMIERE

Bandit
Friday, June 26, 2026
9:15 p.m.
Dances With Films Los Angeles
TCL Chinese Theatres
Hollywood, California
Tickets and information can be found at http://danceswithfilms.com/2026-bandit/ or bandit.film

About Bandit

Desperate for cash, two friends with a checkered past decide to make one last score: steal an abandoned G-Wagon. What they didn't count on? A dead body in the trunk.

Media Inquiries and Press Passes:

Tara McNamara
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @bandit.film

SOURCE Bandit