Rano Karno, Jakarta Vice Governor and Film Veteran, Eyes City of Cinema Future at JAFF Market

Jakarta Vice Governor and veteran actor Rano Karno used a JAFF Market panel in Yogyakarta to outline a plan to position the capital as a global filmmaking hub ahead of its 500th anniversary in 2027, declaring, “It’s time,” as he called for a coordinated push to make Jakarta a film-friendly city.

“Jakarta will be turning 500 years old in 2027. So what can we create in celebration of this?” Karno asked. Along with Andi Boediman, producer and CEO, Ideosource Entertainment, Indonesian producers’ association APROFI chair Edwin Nazir, and director Ernest Prakasa, the panel discussed the future of Indonesia’s film industry and filmmaking ecosystem – specifically in Jakarta.

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Karno proposed a thesis about ways in which Jakarta as a city can serve further purpose in filmmaking and expand its cultural experiences in its efforts of becoming a global city. “The celebration of Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary took three years to prepare, and yet we haven’t done a single thing to prepare for Jakarta’s 500th anniversary. I dream of seeing this city to be developed as a city of cinema; so there’s a political duty to establish Jakarta as this.” Karno presented the idea of developing Jakarta’s urban identity through its cinema experiences, naming the set of aspirations as “Jakarta: City of Cinema.”

Karno explained that in efforts to fulfil such aspirations the city has to go through a series of collaborative processes. It began with the presence in Jakarta city of several film related events internationally such as Cannes Film Festival, Busan International Film Festival, and a strategic partnership with Motion Pictures Association Asia-Pacific. Jakarta also hosts various film screening events such as Jakarta Film Week and Jakarta World Cinema.

“By definition of the law, Jakarta holds the position as the nation’s economic epicentrum and global city,” he said. Taking an understanding of what makes a global city, Karno defined Jakarta’s potential in becoming one through making the city film friendly. The program is intended to promote Jakarta as a city worth investing in for films through its various locations revitalized for shooting potentials, and to screen films and expand various film related events.

Boediman presented his research findings regarding the Indonesian film industry. “I spoke to many filmmakers and people who work in film in order to understand how to better the policy of filmmaking in Indonesia,” Boediman said. “The Indonesian market is looking amazing right now. There’s 65% of market share in the local film industry as of last year, compared to just 45% back in 2019. Indonesia currently sits in the world’s top 10 list of local film market shares.”

“In 2016, Indonesia received a Negative Investment List which provided a great impact in the policy of filmmaking here. It gave green light for foreign investment in film – expanding massively the viewership within a year. It continued to grow each year up until the pandemic, but also experienced post-crisis recovery,” he added.

Boediman also mentioned the role of Indonesian film institutions across the industry as it reflected coordinated fragmentation. Due to overlapping mandates, informal coordinations, and politically driven restructuring, it in turn creates temporary programs and shifting priorities that hinder sustained implementation and long term policy continuity.

He believes the institutional model for sustainable industry coordination should be centered to a local film commission to operate as the coordinator of a regional film ecosystem. This idea runs similar to the program Jakarta’s government is proposing with a film committee, designated to support and facilitate film productions on ground regionally. Both programs presented aims to develop the creative industry, specifically in film to create a sustained interconnectivity of film and culture into the everyday lives of Indonesians.