French Ambassador Outlines Plan to Expand Film Collaboration With Indonesia (EXCLUSIVE)

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As a seasoned film enthusiast with a penchant for cross-cultural storytelling, I find this collaboration between France and Indonesia to be nothing short of exhilarating! With years spent immersing myself in the rich tapestry of global cinema, I’ve witnessed firsthand the transformative power of such partnerships.

France and Indonesia are strengthening their cinematic relationships by introducing the France-Indonesia Film Lab at the debut of the JAFF Market. This market runs concurrently with the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival (JAFF). In simpler terms, they’re deepening their movie connections by launching a collaborative film lab during the first JAFF Market, which takes place alongside the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival.

The lab, a collaboration between the French Embassy, Institut Français Indonésie, the Indonesian Film Producers Association (APROFI), JAFF, and the Indonesian Ministry of Culture, is dedicated to assisting budding Indonesian filmmakers who are working on their initial or second feature films by linking them with experienced mentors from around the world.

As a movie enthusiast, I envision our lab as a long-lasting, growth-oriented endeavor, expanding both in scope and impact over the years. My aim is to transform it into an annual affair, providing a stable platform where we cultivate raw talent and encourage joint production collaborations. For upcoming events, we’re planning to extend participation invitations and mobility programs, offering selected talents the opportunity to travel between France and Indonesia.

Fabien Penone, the Ambassador of France in Indonesia, shared that we should organize our networks and support budding Indonesian filmmakers in feeling more at ease within the French film industry. He clarified that we won’t instruct them on how to create a movie, but instead, we can assist them in understanding the customs, culture, and workings of the French market.

For quite some time, Indonesian cinema has been due for more international recognition. Its energy, originality, and inventiveness are clearly visible, as demonstrated by the rapid expansion of Indonesia’s film industry over the past few years,” Penone stated. “Movies such as ‘Autobiography’, a joint French-Indonesian production directed by Makbul Mubarak, which received recognition at the Venice Film Festival, serve as examples of the intriguing possibilities that emerge from cross-cultural narratives.

The French Embassy has been organizing the Festival Sinema Prancis for 26 years, with the 2023 edition featuring 32 French films across 31 locations in 13 Indonesian cities. In 2023, more than 50 Indonesian films were showcased at 24 international festivals across 18 countries, including France’s Cannes and Clermont-Ferrand festivals.

Currently, France and Indonesia lack a co-production agreement, but ongoing discussions aim to create one. The ambassador emphasized that securing mutual funding from each government would symbolize their dedication to collaborative production endeavors.

Currently, Indonesian filmmakers have the opportunity to tap into French funding through programs such as Aide aux Cinémas du Monde. In 2023, during the Cannes Film Festival, Indonesia unveiled its matching fund scheme worth $13 million, and this year marked the announcement of the first recipients of this program. One of these recipients is Garin Nugroho’s film “Samsara,” which opened JAFF 2024.

Penone stated that even without a formal agreement, we’ve successfully shown that fruitful collaboration can occur through initiatives like the Indonesia-France Film Lab, French Cinema Festival, talent exchange programs, and various networking events within the industry. Looking ahead, establishing an agreement with CNC could be a future objective; however, it’s crucial to strengthen the connections between our creative environments even more.

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2024-12-04 13:16