Indonesia Eyes Cannes 2028 Country of Honor as Culture Minister Fadli Zon Pushes Global Screen Agenda (EXCLUSIVE)

Indonesia’s Culture Minister Fadli Zon has outlined an ambitious strategy to elevate the country’s film industry globally, targeting Country of Honor status at the 2028 Cannes Film Festival. This move is more than a prestige play; it’s an attempt to create a robust international platform for Indonesian cinema, culture, and creative talent.

The push comes as Indonesia’s domestic film industry gains momentum but struggles to break into the global market. The Ministry of Culture is addressing this challenge by expanding global distribution and export capacity, increasing festival access for regional filmmakers, and establishing more competitive incentive structures. However, Indonesia lags behind its competitors in areas like tax incentives and production rebates.

A key component of Indonesia’s Cannes push is the Next Step Studio Indonesia initiative, a talent incubation and co-production program for young filmmakers backed by the Ministry of Culture, the Jakarta Provincial Government, the Embassy of France in Indonesia, and Institut Français Indonesia. This collaboration reflects bilateral cultural commitments outlined in the Borobudur Declaration between Indonesia and France.

Beyond Cannes, Indonesia is building strategic partnerships with Europe and Asia to support its global ambitions. The country’s European co-production strategy focuses on institutional partnerships with La Fémis and the CNC, as well as a new Indonesia-France Film Lab. The Netherlands has been identified as a key partner in talent exchange and film education.

Indonesian filmmakers are increasingly participating in international industry platforms at Cannes, including Critics’ Week and the Annecy Animation Film Festival. This growing engagement with global markets is part of a broader strategy to create structured career pathways for filmmakers from regional areas through the National Talent Management Program for Film (MTN). Zon emphasizes that geographic inclusivity is crucial not only for cultural reasons but also as a competitive strategy.

Indonesia’s rich cultural diversity – comprising 1,340 ethnic groups, more than 17,000 islands, and 718 local languages – offers a unique storytelling advantage. The government aims to leverage this diversity to create authentic stories with universal emotional resonance.

The rise of streaming has been a contentious issue in the global film industry, but Zon takes a contrarian view, seeing platforms as complementary rather than threatening to theatrical culture. He believes that cinema halls remain culturally distinct and preserve the communal dimension of film as an art form.

As Indonesia’s digital market continues to grow, the government is monitoring the rise of microdramas, short-form storytelling, and creator economies. Zon sees this format as a genuine entry point for emerging talent and notes the importance of balancing technological innovation with human creative labor in the filmmaking process.

The success of Indonesia’s global screen ambitions will depend on its ability to navigate these complex challenges and create a robust ecosystem that supports both local and international filmmakers. With the 2028 Cannes deadline looming, it remains to be seen whether Zon’s vision for Indonesian cinema can translate into tangible results.

Indonesia’s push for greater influence in the global film industry echoes the experiences of countries like South Korea and Thailand, which have successfully leveraged their cultural endowments to gain international recognition. However, these nations also face challenges in maintaining a balance between local content and global appeal.

The success or failure of Indonesia’s bold move into the world stage will serve as a bellwether for other emerging markets eager to break into the global film industry.