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Indonesian Film Agency Makes First Cannes Appearance with Premiering Co-Production Program

CultureEntertainment5/15/2026
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The Indonesian Film Agency (BPI) is making its first institutional appearance at the Cannes film festival, premiering a program of four short films co-produced with Southeast Asian peers. The initiative is the first Cannes project drawn entirely from Indonesian financing and coincides with the agency's pursuit of new international co-production treaties. Local productions continue to dominate the domestic box office, accounting for approximately 67% of revenue.

Facts First

  • The Indonesian Film Agency (BPI) is appearing at Cannes for the first time with the premiere of the 'Next Step Studio Indonesia' program.
  • The program consists of four short films co-written and co-directed by Indonesian filmmakers paired with peers from Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Myanmar.
  • 'Next Step Studio Indonesia' is the first Cannes project financed entirely by Indonesian sources, including government and embassy funds.
  • Local productions dominate Indonesia's box office, accounting for approximately 67% of revenue in 2025 and tracking similarly in 2026.
  • The BPI is pursuing bilateral co-production treaties with France and Korea and advocating for a revision of Indonesia's Film Law.

What Happened

The Indonesian Film Agency (BPI), under newly elected chair Fauzan Zidni, is making its first institutional appearance at the Cannes film festival. The agency is premiering the program 'Next Step Studio Indonesia' at Critics’ Week. The program consists of four short films, each co-written and co-directed by one Indonesian filmmaker and one filmmaker from another Southeast Asian country (Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Myanmar). All four films were shot in Jakarta. The program is the first Cannes project drawn entirely from Indonesian financing, supported by the Jakarta Provincial Government, the Ministry of Culture, the French Embassy in Indonesia, Timor-Leste, and ASEAN.

Why this Matters to You

If you are interested in Indonesian cinema, you may see more diverse and internationally collaborative films reaching global festivals like Cannes. This could lead to greater recognition for Indonesian filmmakers and stories. The agency's push for new co-production treaties and a revised Film Law may eventually streamline international partnerships, potentially creating more opportunities for local talent. The continued strong performance of local films at the domestic box office suggests a robust audience for homegrown content.

What's Next

The BPI is pursuing bilateral co-production treaties with France and Korea and expects the Ministry of Culture to bring a Film Law revision to parliament during the current term. Fauzan Zidni is targeting a mapped-out Cannes Film Market footprint for future delegations and groundwork for international scholarship and residency partnerships for Cannes 2026. The 'Next Step Studio' program will continue, with eight directors who collaborated in Jakarta last year featured in the 2026 edition.

Perspectives

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Industry Strategists argue that Indonesia's film industry requires a transition from individual producer persistence to a robust institutional framework involving legal, financing, and distribution architecture. They emphasize that building public film bodies and legislative revisions is essential to bridge the gap between local market dominance and international visibility.
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Creative Collaborators view the intensive process of cross-cultural co-writing and co-directing as a unique form of training that produces new, transformative works through productive tension and shared creative wavelengths. They suggest that these partnerships allow for the exploration of surrealism, fantasy, and personal allegories that transcend traditional methods.
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Producers maintain that complete creative freedom is non-negotiable and that their primary role is to secure the necessary conditions for directors to explore difficult, honest subject matter. They also warn that Indonesia must avoid being treated merely as a filming location by international partners, asserting that the nation's cultural specificity is its true creative substance.
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Regional Advocates believe that initiatives like Next Step Studio provide vital platforms for Southeast Asian stories to be heard globally and offer essential communication channels for regional filmmakers. They see these efforts as a way to elevate the presence of local voices on the international stage.
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Skeptics of Infrastructure express concern that the momentum for Indonesian cinema might dissipate if the necessary domestic infrastructure fails to catch up with international opportunities. They note the difficulty of scaling ambitious projects when the current system relies on assembling small, exhausting pieces.