Jakarta launches cash incentives, tax rebates to become cinema hub

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Jakarta is launching a major push to transform Indonesia's capital into a regional cinema hub, offering steep location discounts and box-office tax rebates to attract international and domestic filmmakers.

Speaking at the Asia Pacific Video Operators Summit (APOS) 2026 in Bali, Jakarta Deputy Governor Rano Karno unveiled "Filming in Jakarta," a new one-stop administrative service designed to eliminate the bureaucratic red tape that has historically plagued productions in the city.

Managed by the Jakarta Film Commission and state-owned tourism board PT Jakarta Tourisindo, the platform aims to streamline complex permitting processes across multiple municipal agencies.

"We are launching a one-stop film service," Rano said during his presentation, titled Unlocking Jakarta: City of Cinema.

"We invite filmmakers, creators, and investors to bring their ideas and stories. Please come and create in Jakarta," he added.

To compete with other film-friendly hubs in Southeast Asia, the Jakarta provincial government is backing the initiative with aggressive financial incentives.

Production houses will receive a 50 percent discount on location fees when shooting at any property owned by the Jakarta provincial government or municipal state-owned enterprises.

Additionally, the city will refund half of the local entertainment tax collected from cinema ticket sales for domestic films, a move intended to allow local production houses to reinvest capital directly back into their businesses.

The aggressive pivot comes as Jakarta seeks to leverage high-end film and streaming productions to boost its tourism profile and generate local economic windfalls.

By offering hard financial incentives, municipal authorities hope to transition the city from a strictly commercial center into a vibrant creative capital.

Rano, himself a former celebrated actor and director before entering politics, closed his pitch by inviting international studio executives, video operators, and independent creators to the upcoming Jakarta Film Summit and Jakarta Film Week, scheduled for October 19–25, 2026.

He noted that the October events will allow stakeholders to participate in formulating future incentives, expanding networks, and together developing Jakarta as a city of cinema.

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Translator: Lia Wanadriani Santosa, Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono

Editor: M Razi Rahman

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