Indonesia Targets Country of Honor Status at Cannes 2028, Bolstered by New Film Initiatives
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Indonesia is officially targeting Country of Honor status at the Cannes Film Festival in 2028, backed by new government funding and international partnerships. The country's cultural strategy, including the Next Step Studio Indonesia program premiering at Cannes this year, aims to strengthen its global film industry presence. The Indonesian Film Agency is also pursuing new co-production treaties and advocating for a revision of the national Film Law.
Facts First
- Indonesia is targeting Country of Honor status at Cannes in 2028, with a strategy to strengthen its international screen industry.
- The government has launched matching fund schemes and uses the Dana IndonesiaRaya endowment to support talent, production, and festival participation.
- The Next Step Studio Indonesia program is premiering at Cannes' Critics’ Week, featuring four short films co-created by Indonesian and Southeast Asian directors.
- The Indonesian Film Agency (BPI) is pursuing bilateral co-production treaties with France and Korea and advocating for a revision of Indonesia's Film Law.
- Local productions accounted for approximately 67% of the Indonesian box office in 2025, with a similar rate tracking for 2026.
What Happened
Indonesia's Culture Minister Fadli Zon confirmed the country's official target to become a Country of Honor at the Cannes Film Festival in 2028. The government has established matching fund schemes and collaborative financing models to strengthen partnerships between Indonesian filmmakers and global industry players. The Ministry of Culture utilizes the Dana IndonesiaRaya cultural endowment fund to support talent development, production assistance, international mobility, and festival participation. A key initiative, Next Step Studio Indonesia, is premiering at the Cannes Critics’ Week this year, featuring four short films co-written and co-directed by Indonesian filmmakers paired with peers from Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Myanmar.
Why this Matters to You
If you are interested in global cinema, you may see more diverse and culturally rich Indonesian stories on the international stage in the coming years. The government's financial support and international co-production strategy could lead to higher-quality local productions, which already dominate the domestic box office. For Indonesian creative workers, new policy frameworks are being developed to protect intellectual property and careers, which could provide more stability and opportunity in the film industry.
What's Next
The Indonesian Film Agency (BPI) is making its first institutional appearance at Cannes and is targeting a mapped-out Cannes Film Market footprint for future delegations. The agency is pursuing bilateral co-production treaties with France and Korea, building on an existing agreement with the Netherlands. Fauzan Zidni, the newly elected chair of the BPI, expects the Ministry of Culture to bring a revision of Indonesia's Film Law to parliament during the current term. The Next Step Studio Indonesia program is already anchored in plans for Indonesia's 2026 Cannes presence, featuring eight directors who collaborated last year.