Jakarta Set to Become a Cinema City as DKI Government Prepares Film Industry Incentives and a Film Commission
Jakarta is pursuing the creation of an international-scale film ecosystem so that the capital’s creative economy can grow rapidly.
Incentives for the Film Industry
The Head of the Jakarta Regional Revenue Agency (Bapenda), Lusiana Herawati, said support for the film industry covers regulatory and institutional aspects. ‘Indeed, in order to support Jakarta as a Cinema City, we are preparing the regulations as well as finalising the institutional framework,’ she said at the Jakarta City Hall on Friday, 17 April 2026.
According to Lusiana, the incentives can be utilised by film producers to raise their production levels. ‘If everything is ready, we will implement incentives for film producers so that domestic film production can develop further,’ she added.
Film Incentives Focus Group Discussion
To discuss the details of the incentives to be given to players in the film world, the DKI Province organised a focus group discussion (FGD) at the Jakarta City Hall in March 2026. On that occasion, Deputy Governor of Jakarta, Rano Karno, expressed optimism that Jakarta could soon become an inclusive, competitive, and sustainable cinema city.
‘This forum is part of efforts to strengthen Jakarta’s film ecosystem so that it becomes more competitive and also a driver of the city’s creative economy,’ he said.
Rano explained that the policy’s legal basis is set out in Regional Regulation Number 1 of 2024 on Local Taxes and Local Retributions. The regulation grants local governments the authority to set policies involving tax relief, reductions, or exemptions on local taxes.
‘Furthermore, Jakarta Governor Regulation Number 27 of 2025 governs the provision of principal tax reductions for Specific Goods and Services taxes on arts and entertainment services, including national film screenings in cinemas, with a 50 percent reduction,’ he added.
Jakarta Film Commission
Rano said that global cities generally have dedicated bodies to address the needs of the film industry. Therefore, Jakarta believes it needs a similar entity to remain competitive. Currently, the DKI Province has prepared the establishment of the Jakarta Film Commission. This body is expected to strengthen governance of the film ecosystem, including production location, permits, industry facilitation, and promotion of Jakarta as a shooting location.
‘In the world over, in every advanced city there is a film commission — Busan has a film commission, Tokyo has a film commission, Hong Kong has a film commission, the Netherlands has a film commission,’ said Rano, who has been involved in the film industry for almost 55 years and has participated in around 150 films.
The Jakarta Film Commission will be professionally managed. According to Rano, the body will not be a BUMD (state-owned enterprise) but a dedicated forum to strengthen Jakarta’s film industry. ‘It will be its own entity, but clearly not a BUMD. It must be managed by professionals,’ he said; Rano, who also produced the soap