JAKARTA - Indonesia is starting to plant a stronger position on the world film map. Minister of Culture Fadli Zon said the presence of the Indonesian delegation at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival was not only about appearing at the festival, but also paving the way to a bigger target: Indonesia as the Guest of Honor Cannes 2028.
Fadli said Cannes was an important space to test the strength of the national film ecosystem. From promotion, networking, financing, to cross-country production collaboration.
"The Ministry of Culture is committed to supporting the strengthening of the Indonesian film ecosystem so that it is more competitive, inclusive, and able to become an important part of the world's film industry," said Fadli Zon in Cannes, France, Thursday, May 14.
According to Fadli, the government strengthened support through the National Talent Management in the film sector. This program is aimed at opening access for young filmmakers to international networks, capacity building, collaboration, and financing.
"We want to ensure that Indonesian film talents have a growing space, networking opportunities, and access to perform on the international stage," he said.
Indonesia's presence at Cannes 2026 can be seen in a number of programs. At Semaine de la Critique, Indonesia is represented by four short films in the Next Step Studio which involves Reza Rahadian, Khozy Rizal, Shelby Kho, Reza Fahri, and KawanKawan Media.
The German production Waterland, which collaborated with Indonesia, also involved co-producers Anisa Adjam and Bagus Suitrawan. In the Directors' Fortnight, the film 9 Temples to Heaven from Thailand is a co-production project with Indonesia through Giovani Rahmadeva from Qun Film.
Indonesia also entered the Short Film Corner through the Gentle Hands pitching project by producer Feisha Permanayadi and director Garry Christian. Fransiska Prihadi from Minikino was trusted as one of the decision makers at the Short Film Corner, while Fadhila Ristianty entered the Rendezvous Industry program.
In the documentary, Docs by the Sea became one of the hosts of Cannes Docs. Director Kamila Andini also received the Women in Cinema Gala award from the Red Sea Foundation.
Fadli also met the General Director of the Marché du Film Festival de Cannes, Guillaume Esmiol, to discuss Indonesia's readiness as the Guest of Honor of Cannes 2028. He said the opportunity was important to attract film investment and bring the diversity of Indonesian culture to the global market.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
