Strengthening Indonesia Film Ties: AFCNet Membership Secured in Jakarta with Joint Production Opportunities Explored

Busan’s film industry delegation, led by Busan Film Commission Operating Committee Chairman Kang Sung-kyu, has secured Indonesia’s AFCNet membership and advanced concrete co-production collaboration opportunities during an ASEAN tour, according to a Google Alert issued on April 21, 2026.

The delegation’s visit to Jakarta resulted in the confirmation of AFCNet membership for Indonesian film authorities, strengthening institutional ties between South Korea’s Busan and Indonesia’s Directorate of Film, Music, and Arts under the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology.

AFCNet, the organization referenced in the alert, implements strategic programs to support Indonesia’s film industry ecosystem, including the Layar Indonesiana Short Film Production Competition for 15-20 minute films, the Indonesiana Film workshop on screenplay and production led by USC professors, and the Indonesian Film Permit system covering production notifications, registration certificates, import recommendations, and location usage approvals.

The Directorate also oversees archiving and digitalization of Indonesian classic films, transferring celluloid media to digital formats for preservation, alongside initiatives like Lock X Full Circle Lab 2023, MyLab for fiction feature development, Idoclab for documentaries, and Producer’s Lab focusing on production management, funding, and distribution.

These programs align with Busan’s objectives to deepen creative exchange and capacity-building partnerships, as evidenced by Jakarta Film Week’s 2025–2026 initiatives such as the launch of Next Step Studio Indonesia at Cannes Critics’ Week 2026 and the return of the Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation to Indonesian screens.

Next Step Studio Indonesia will bring together four local and four international directors to co-create four 15-minute short works, produced and financed locally for global premiere during Critics’ Week in Cannes, supported by the French Embassy in Indonesia and Institut Français d’Indonésie.

The Busan delegation’s ASEAN tour also included Brunei, where cooperation expansion was noted alongside Indonesia, though specific outcomes from the Brunei leg were not detailed in the available sources.

This development reflects Busan’s ongoing strategy to position itself as a gateway for Asian film collaboration, leveraging AFCNet’s regional reach and Indonesia’s growing role as an international cinema hub through events like Jakarta Film Week.