Jakarta wants to be a regional film hub. Its governor is looking to Busan

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung Wibowo opened the Jakarta Film Summit at Park Hyatt Jakarta on October 20, pitching the Indonesian capital as a regional hub for film shoots, filmmakers and investors, Variety reported. He pointed to Busan, home of the Busan International Film Festival, as a model for what Jakarta could build.

The pitch came as more than 500 delegates from 10 countries attended the three-day event, according to Beritajakarta.id. The summit runs through October 22, putting the practical questions behind Jakarta’s ambition on the agenda this week.

Why Pramono pointed to Busan

He also said Jakarta had climbed from 17th to 15th in a global transport ranking and that public transit connected 93% of the city, according to Variety. His point was that crews and visiting filmmakers need a city that can move people around; the ranking and coverage figures were part of his presentation.

Busan offers a recognizable film-festival example for the governor’s ambition. The comparison describes what Jakarta wants to pursue, while the summit’s discussions focus on the steps that could make the city more attractive to productions.

What the Jakarta Film Summit is discussing

The Jakarta Film Commission and the Indonesian Film Agency, known as BPI, are hosting the summit, Variety reported. Its first two days cover production policy, filming permits, incentives, financing and investment—issues that affect whether projects can be planned and made in the city.

Sessions on October 20 addressed government support for productions, shooting locations and regional co-production. Panels scheduled for October 21 turn to project funding, banks and audience data, according to Variety. The event brings those operational questions together with the broader pitch to attract filmmakers and investors.

BPI chair Fauzan Zidni said the agency would seek to turn recommendations from the forum into policies, Variety reported. That is the next step he set out; no resulting policy change or investment was announced in the retained opening-day reports.

Beritajakarta.id described the summit’s aim as strengthening Jakarta’s film industry and positioning the capital as a global cinema hub. For filmmakers weighing a shoot and investors considering projects, the immediate development is the city’s public pitch and a forum devoted to the rules and financing that would shape future work.