As Indonesia’s film industry reaches new heights internationally, JAFF Market‘s leadership team is focused on building sustainable infrastructure to support the sector’s rapid growth. The market, which runs alongside the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival (JAFF) in Yogyakarta, popularly known as Jogja, from Dec. 3-5, aims to address crucial industry needs while fostering new talent.
Films from the country now routinely get selected and win prizes at major international festivals. The local market in Indonesia, which has the fourth-largest population in the world with 283 million, is rapidly expanding with homegrown productions accounting for a significant share. Indonesia is also bolstering its cultural policies that include an annual $13 million international co-production grant. The box office is in robust shape and to date in 2024, there are some 72 million admissions for Indonesian films released in the country.
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“There is a rich treasure trove of talents and stories in Indonesia and the industry is ready to unleash its full potential,” says Yulia Evina Bhara, head of international relations for JAFF Market. Bhara’s credits as producer include Cannes-winning “Tiger Stripes” and Venice winner “Autobiography.” She points to the diverse ecosystem of established studios, emerging producers, animation houses, and technical facilities across Indonesia as evidence of the industry’s readiness for a dedicated market platform.
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The market emerges at a time when Indonesian content is gaining international recognition, but market advisor Lorna Tee identifies key challenges that need addressing. “As a fast expanding film market and industry, the expansion is moving faster than the growth of the talent pool in various sectors from writers, to producers, to crew, post production, marketing and distribution,” she says, emphasizing the need for comprehensive talent development programs.
Tee, a former Variety executive, runs labs across Southeast Asia that identify and nurture emerging talent from the region. She was recently a producer on Cannes film “Viet & Nam” and is the secretary general for the Asian Film Alliance Network (AFAN), an association of seven film agencies from Asia to foster closer understanding and enhance collaboration within the region.
Worker safety and IP protection rank high among the market’s priorities. “There is a serious requirement for reflection and reaction to ensure the protection of the IPs, the safety of film workers – both physical and mental – and the ecosystem to grow it is equitable for all involved,” Tee explains.
The market’s strategy includes bringing international industry players into direct contact with local talent. Bhara sees this as crucial for growth: “Indonesian companies can showcase their lineup and vision growth to the Indonesian stakeholders and also the international film industry guests attending – from investors, producers, sales agents, distributors, international film agencies and film festival programmers.”
Talent development initiatives form a cornerstone of the market’s vision, with programs including a Netflix-supported Talent Lab and the JAFF Future Project. The Content Market will create opportunities for Indonesian IP holders to explore collaborations. Tee envisions a new generation of filmmakers who are both creatively and commercially savvy, noting that “The next generation will not just be from film schools or starting in the independent circuit but also connected closely with the corporate structures and savvy regarding the market movements.”
For Bhara, the market represents a natural evolution for Indonesia’s maturing film sector. “JAFF Market is born out of the necessity in Indonesia to have a platform for the booming film industry to converge, converse and collaborate amongst all the stakeholders of the film industry,” she says.
