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From Local Box Office Triumph to International Acclaim: Indonesia's Cinematic Journey

Fauzan Zidni's Vision for Indonesian Cinema at Cannes

At this year's Cannes Film Festival, Fauzan Zidni, in his new capacity as chair of the Indonesian Film Agency (BPI), is unveiling an ambitious agenda. This marks the agency's first institutional appearance at the prestigious festival, highlighting its commitment to fostering international collaboration and recognition. A key part of this debut is the Critics' Week premiere of "Next Step Studio Indonesia," a collection of four short films by Indonesian directors, created in collaboration with peers from Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Myanmar. This project, notable for being entirely Indonesian-financed, represents a foundational step in Zidni's broader strategy.

Bridging the Gap: Local Dominance, Global Ambition

Zidni emphasizes that the robust performance of Indonesian films in their home market, capturing approximately 67% of the box office in 2025 and maintaining a similar trajectory in 2026, demonstrates a strong local audience base. However, he identifies a significant disparity between this domestic success and the industry's limited international visibility. His primary objective for the next four years is to construct the necessary pathways to connect this thriving local scene with the global film industry, addressing the absence of comprehensive financing structures, legal frameworks, and effective distribution channels.

Establishing a Robust Industry Foundation

Highlighting the structural deficiencies, Zidni points out the lack of public film bodies comparable to France's CNC, Korea's KOFIC, or Singapore's IMDA. These international counterparts proactively support cinematic endeavors, whereas Indonesia's system often rewards projects only after their completion. This reactive approach, he argues, makes the assembly of ambitious projects excessively challenging and unsustainable for scalable growth, necessitating a shift towards a more anticipatory and supportive infrastructure.

Fostering International Partnerships Through Co-production Treaties

In response to these challenges, BPI is actively pursuing bilateral co-production agreements with key cinematic nations like France and Korea. These efforts build upon an existing audiovisual co-production treaty with the Netherlands, signed in 2024. Zidni underscores the transformative power of such treaties, explaining that they fundamentally alter cost-sharing mechanisms, intellectual property rights, and eligibility for various national film funds, thereby creating more favorable conditions for Indonesian projects on the global stage.

Government Support and Strategic Financing Initiatives

Further bolstering the industry, the Indonesian Ministry of Culture has relaunched a matching-fund program, actively supported by BPI. This mechanism allows projects that secure international financing to receive equivalent government backing. Zidni anticipates that this initiative will significantly increase both the quantity and scale of international co-productions originating from Indonesia within the next two to three years, driving forward the country's cinematic ambitions.

Addressing Domestic Distribution and Exhibition Challenges

Domestically, the film landscape presents its own set of complexities. Indonesia, with a population of 287 million, has only about 2,200 cinema screens, predominantly concentrated in Java, and a single exhibitor controls a substantial 60% of the market. This creates a situation where even highly successful local films may not maximize their revenue potential, and smaller, critically acclaimed films often struggle to secure adequate screening opportunities or extended theatrical runs, hindering their ability to build an audience through word-of-mouth.

Lessons from International Experience and the Importance of Self-Reliance

Zidni's tenure at the Walt Disney Company from 2022 to 2024, where he oversaw original productions in Indonesia, provided him with crucial insights now applied at a national level. The experience, particularly the withdrawal of global streamers from commissioning Southeast Asian originals in early 2024, reinforced his conviction that Indonesia must develop its own robust distribution infrastructure rather than relying on external entities. This principle of self-sufficiency is central to his strategy for long-term growth and stability.

Long-Term Legislative Reforms for a Sustainable Film Ecosystem

Zidni is equally forthright about the legislative reforms he views as the agency's most critical long-term undertaking. BPI is advocating for a comprehensive revision of Indonesia's Film Law, a measure he expects the Ministry of Culture to introduce in parliament during the current term. While acknowledging that the effects of this policy work will not be immediate, he believes that successful implementation will, for the first time, establish a clear legal and financial framework for international co-productions, strengthen BPI's institutional role in line with international bodies like the CNC, define the function of a national film fund, and create a regulatory environment that recognizes the film industry as a strategic creative sector, rather than merely a licensing concern.

Strategic Objectives for Cannes 2026 and Beyond

For Cannes 2026, Zidni's immediate goals are concrete and strategic: to establish a defined presence at the Cannes Film Market for future Indonesian delegations and to lay the groundwork for international scholarship and residency partnerships. He considers the festival a success if it leads to two or three meaningful co-production discussions, a sustainable presence at the Marché du Film, and the initiation of credible institutional relationships with European and Asian funds. He anticipates that the major deals resulting from these efforts will materialize in 2027 and 2028, signaling a measured, long-term approach to global integration.