Jakarta Pitches Itself as Regional Film Hub, Points to Busan as Model

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung Wibowo kicked off the Jakarta Film Summit 2026 on Tuesday with a pitch for the Indonesian capital as a regional film hub, making the case that the city is equipped to draw more shoots, filmmakers and investors from across the region.

Speaking at the Royal Glass House at Park Hyatt Jakarta, Pramono built his argument around the city’s infrastructure, its economy and its transit system. He held up Busan, the South Korean port city that is home to the Busan International Film Festival, as an example Jakarta could learn from as it grows its own industry.

The governor cited economic growth of 5.52% and inflation of 2.7%. Jakarta has climbed from 17th to 15th place in a global transport ranking, according to the figures he presented, and public transit now connects 93% of the city.

The summit, hosted by the Jakarta Film Commission with the Indonesian Film Agency (Badan Perfilman Indonesia, or BPI), runs through Oct. 22, with the first two days given over to production policy, filming permits, incentives, financing and investment. Upward of 500 attendees from 10 countries are taking part, with 40 speakers on the bill. Government officials and financial institutions are in the room alongside investors, streamers and industry professionals.

Tuesday’s sessions dealt with how government can back productions, including opening up shooting locations around Jakarta. An ASEAN Film Alliance Network panel examined how to nurture talent, raise money and set up co-productions across the region.

The focus will shift to money on Oct. 21. Panels will cover how to get a project ready for funding, what role banks can play, and how audience data can help investors gauge risk.

The final day, Jakarta Scouting Day, will take film commissioners and production companies out to prospective locations including Pasar Rumput, Muara Angke Harbor, Kota Tua and the Bundaran HI Skydeck. Also on the schedule is “The Two Cities,” which will pair Jakarta with Hong Kong to explore ways the two might work together.

Organizers hope the event will yield policy recommendations, build up industry capacity and lift Jakarta’s international standing as a filming destination.

Fauzan Zidni, chair of BPI, 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. BPI is ready to make sure the recommendations from this forum are translated into policies that filmmakers can feel on the ground.”