Indonesia launches first major film market at Jogja festival

The Indonesian film industry took a big step forward with the launch of JAFF Market 2024, the country’s first large-scale film market, which kicked off on Tuesday at the Jogja Expo Center in Yogyakarta, commonly known as Jogja.

The three-day event, which will take place from December 3 to 5 as part of the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival (JAFF), brings together more than 100 film companies from domestic and international markets, enabling Indonesia to strengthen its presence in the entertainment sector in Southeast Asia.

“The JAFF Market is a strategic stage that brings together more than 100 national and international film companies. This participation highlights the industry’s great enthusiasm for strengthening the Indonesian film ecosystem,” said Minister of Culture Dr. Fadly Zon during the opening ceremony.

The market emerges after two years of development, supported by the Ministry of Culture with funding from Dana Indonesiana. The initiative has gained momentum through group discussions in the post-pandemic period, securing support from across the industry, from government entities to production studios.

Netflix has partnered with the market to present two talent development programs: Talent Day and Reel Life Film Camp. The streaming giant’s involvement signals growing international interest in Indonesia’s content creation potential.

The event’s programming spans several tracks, including JAFF future projectContent Marketplace, Partnership Forum and Market Screening Room. A French-Indonesian film lab adds an international co-production angle, while a network event provides networking opportunities outside of normal hours.

“The government is committed to supporting the film industry through initiatives such as the JAFF market. This event can serve as a platform for collaboration between film companies, copyright holders, filmmakers and new talents, while connecting us to the rapidly growing Asian film market,” said Zon.

Linda Gozali, Market Director and Co-Founder of Magma Entertainment, one of Indonesia’s largest studios, added: “Today we are celebrating much more than the official launch of Indonesia’s largest film market. We celebrate energy, enthusiasm…and the industry that dares to dream big.

“We celebrate the convergence of local ingenuity and global collaborations. As we gather here today, Indonesian cinema is truly making history. We have record box office receipts and (with) the increase in international attention, our stories are really resonating across the world, across continents, and that is a testament to us to strive and for us to give more passion from the filmmakers to the public. The JAFF Market embodies this transformative journey,” added Gozali.