ABOUT ERWIN DARMALI

A black and white portrait of a man with glasses, mustache, and short hair, looking to the left, against a chain-link fence background.

Photograph by Dave Getzschman

Erwin Darmali is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and photographer known for his mastery in storytelling, filled with depth and inspiring contents

I work with film and photography as a way of paying attention - to people, to moments, and to what shapes meaning.

What began as a personal practice became a way of seeing that extends beyond my own work. The same attention used to explore creativity and belief is often what businesses and individual creators struggle to articulate in their public presence.

Documentary storytelling offers clarity here. By focusing on real moments and decisions, it reveals what guides a person or an organization, without exaggeration or performance.

When working with clients, I translate values, intention, and lived experience into short films and photographs that feel honest and grounded. The aim is not visibility for its own sake, but recognition.

People remember what feels true. In a landscape crowded with content, sincerity and reality becomes a distinguishing quality. When a story is told with care, it invites recognition - and recognition is what builds trust, connection, and longevity.
My role is to help make that visible.

This work is for those who care about meaning, alignment, and long-term trust.


Exhibitions and Features

FILMS
Documentary films presented through screenings and curated platforms, exploring values, intention, and lived experience.

2026 - Special Screening, “The Mother of Indonesian Artists”
Film screening and book discussion, Selasar Sunaryo, Bandung, Indonesia

2025 - Special Screening, “The Mother of Indonesian Artists”
Indonesia Art World 1977-2022 Book Launch and Signing, Art Institute of Indonesia (ISI), Yogyakarta, Indonesia

2024 - Premiere / Headline Opener, “The Mother of Indonesian Artists”
Art Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia

2023 - Website Feature, “Jim Heimann: Collector”
Taschen

2023 - Screening, “Kenton Nelson: Water”
Seaside: The Art of Kenton Nelson exhibition, California Heritage Museum, Santa Monica, USA

2022 - Website Feature “Jim Heimann: Collector”
Collectors’ Weekly Article on Jim Heimann, Collectors’ Weekly

2020 - Film Festival Top Winner, “The Simplicity of Happiness”
Movies That Inspire Film Festival, Australia


PHOTOGRAPHS
Photographic works developed through long-term practice and presented as exhibitions and published series.

2026 - Group Artwork Exhibition, Art Jakarta Paper
presented by Rachel Gallery

2024 - Group Photography Exhibition, “Behind The Seen”
Artotel Thamrin, Jakarta, Indonesia


Selected Clients and Collaborations

ART | DESIGN | MUSIC

Abenk Alter, Visual Artist (Indonesia)
Addie MS, Symphonic Music Conductor & Composer (Indonesia)
Anton Ismael, Visual Artist & Educator (Indonesia)
Jim Heimann, Collector, Executive Editor of Taschen Books America (USA)
John Caldwell, Furniture and Lighting Designer, JCDesigns (USA)
Kenton Nelson, American Painter (USA)
Michael Charles Smith, Marimba Musician, Portland Columbia Symphony (USA)
Michael Doret, Letterform Designer (USA)
Morton Court Mosaic, Mosaic Mural (USA)
Ross Design, Architects (USA)
St. Loco, Music Band (Indonesia)
Taschen Books, Book Publishing Company (USA)

SPORTS

Odekta Naibaho, Athlete (Indonesia)
Strive, Sports Nutrition (Indonesia)

NON PROFITS | SOCIAL ISSUES

Club 21, Community & assistance for individuals with down syndrome (USA)
Harambee Prep School, Mission-based School (USA)
Universal Right To Literacy, for Public Counsel & Enso (USA)

BRANDS / BUSINESSES

Chef Edgar Agbayani, Head Chef of Roy’s Restaurant (USA)
Kabuki Japanese Restaurant, (USA)
Noble Academy, Gifted and Talented Education (Indonesia)
Rani Anggraeni Dewi, Couples Counselor (Indonesia)
Runaway Pony, Children's Clothing Boutique (USA)
Tulum Jakarta, Restaurant (Indonesia)
Wenzlau Vineyard & Winery, Organic Grower & Producer (USA)