Jakarta World Cinema to Open First Feature Competition to Global Filmmakers

Jakarta World Cinema will reinstate its First Feature Competition in 2027, opening the category to submissions from filmmakers worldwide.

The festival suspended the competition this year due to the logistical challenges of hiring an international jury. Festival director Shandy Gasella noted that previous editions relied exclusively on Indonesian judges. For the upcoming cycle, the organizing team plans to select international jurors with strong filmographies to oversee the global field.

Frederica, the festival's executive director and head of KlikFilm, manages acquisitions by traveling to major industry markets in Berlin, Toronto, and Cannes. She stated that the lineup consists of 80 to 90 percent award-winning films from the Cannes, Berlin, Venice, and Sundance festivals.

The current edition marks a record year for the event. Programming director Daniel Irawan reported that the program includes 102 theatrical titles, the highest number in the festival's history. The total program reaches 207 films. Irawan said the team intends to expand this lineup next year while working with their main venue, CGV Grand Indonesia, to increase audience capacity.

The festival also operates a short film competition that took place in June. That event drew more than 300 entries from professionals, amateurs, and students. All 30 competition titles and 20 non-competition titles on the shortlist will screen during the main festival run. The winner of the best short film award will receive full funding from KlikFilm to produce and distribute a debut feature.

Indonesian Culture Minister Fadli Zon stated that the event is backed by Dana Indonesiaraya, a matching fund shared by the government and the film industry. The Jakarta edition closes on November 7. The same program will then travel to Bandung World Cinema and Malang World Cinema, where local extensions will run from November 14 through 21.