Jakarta World Cinema is planning to bring back its First Feature Competition next year, opening the door to filmmakers from around the world with an international jury judging the selections — a step up from the competition’s earlier editions.
Jakarta World Cinema (Credits: Variety)
Jakarta World Cinema’s First Feature Competition: What’s Coming Back
The competition was put on hold because of the difficulty of assembling an international jury, and this year’s edition did not accept submissions. “[Previously] we’ve only had Indonesian judges,” festival director Shandy Gasella tells Variety, framing the revival as a deliberate expansion of the festival’s global reach.
By opening the competition to filmmakers worldwide and judging it with an international panel, Jakarta World Cinema is positioning itself as a serious launchpad for first-time feature directors — the kind of platform where emerging voices can break out internationally.
Why an International Jury Matters for Emerging Filmmakers
For debut filmmakers, especially those outside established festival circuits, a first-feature competition with a global jury can be career-making. International validation, press attention, and industry connections often flow from these platforms, and Jakarta World Cinema’s decision signals its ambition to join the ranks of festivals that genuinely discover new talent.
If the revival goes ahead as planned, next year’s edition could be the festival’s most international outing yet — a meaningful moment for Indonesian cinema and the region’s emerging directors.
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Source: Variety — read the full story there.
