Jakarta Film Summit 2026 Opens with Bid to Become Regional Film Hub

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung Wibowo opened the Jakarta Film Summit 2026 on Tuesday with a direct pitch: the Indonesian capital wants to become a regional film hub, drawing shoots, filmmakers and investors from across Southeast Asia and beyond.

Speaking at the Royal Glass House at Park Hyatt Jakarta, Pramono built his case on hard numbers. He cited economic growth of 5.52% and inflation of 2.7%. He said Jakarta has climbed from 17th to 15th place in a global transport ranking. Public transit, he told the audience, now connects 93% of the city.

The governor held up Busan as the example to follow. The South Korean port city, home to the Busan International Film Festival, built an international film identity around its festival and its industry infrastructure. Jakarta, in Pramono's argument, has the economy, the transit system and the locations to do the same.

What does the summit actually cover?

The Jakarta Film Commission hosts the summit together with the Indonesian Film Agency, known as Badan Perfilman Indonesia, or BPI. It runs through Oct. 22. The first two days address production policy, filming permits, incentives, financing and investment.

The scale is considerable:

• More than 500 attendees from 10 countries
• 40 speakers on the program
• Government officials, financial institutions, investors, streamers and industry professionals in the same rooms

Tuesday's sessions examined how government can back productions, including opening up shooting locations around Jakarta. A panel under the ASEAN Film Alliance Network looked at how to nurture talent, raise money and set up co-productions across the region.

The agenda turns squarely to money on Oct. 21. Panels will cover how to prepare a project for funding, what role banks can play, and how audience data can help investors gauge risk.

Where do the locations come in?

The final day, Jakarta Scouting Day, takes film commissioners and production companies out to prospective locations across the city. The list includes Pasar Rumput, Muara Angke Harbor, Kota Tua and the Bundaran HI Skydeck.

Also scheduled is a session titled "The Two Cities," pairing Jakarta with Hong Kong to explore ways the two cities might work together.

What changes for filmmakers?

Fauzan Zidni, chair of BPI, addressed that question directly in his remarks at the summit. He said: "Jakarta Film Summit shows that local government can be a strategic partner for the film industry. When policy, permits, and financing are discussed at the same table with filmmakers, we are no longer working in silos."

Zidni added: "BPI is ready to make sure the recommendations from this forum are translated into policies that filmmakers can feel on the ground."

That is the practical test. Organizers hope the event will yield policy recommendations, build industry capacity and lift Jakarta's international standing as a filming destination. If BPI follows through on Zidni's pledge, the summit's recommendations could reshape how permits and financing work for productions shooting in the Indonesian capital.

By Marcus Bennett