Indonesian producer Shanti Hermane is bringing his animated feature Garuda: A Dream to the Tokyo Gap Finance market, marking the company’s first foray into animation ahead of a scheduled theatrical release in early 2026.
The film follows Putra, a 13-year-old boy with asthma who dreams of playing for Indonesia’s national soccer team. After being ridiculed at the Sanka Perkasa Soccer School trials, he discovers the mystical jersey of Gaga, the glowing spirit of Garuda that unlocks incredible speed, power, and skill. The genre-blending story mixes adventure, drama, humor, and sports action.
“We consider Japan to be a major center for animation/animation. Since this is our first time producing feature animation, we wanted to meet and learn from other animation companies and get exposure to gap financing, potential distribution companies, and festivals that could be launched,” says Hermain.
Director Ronnie Ghani, who also worked as an animator on Marvel movies, says the film’s core message resonates deeply with his own experiences. “The story of finding the courage to take the first step toward a dream is a direct reflection of my own experience of facing significant access restrictions and societal challenges when I chose to pursue a career as a professional animator,” he says.
This product took three years to develop. “This was our first animation work and we were a new team, so the project took longer to ramp up,” says Harmayn. “The challenge is finding the right size in terms of finances and investment, while ensuring we deliver a powerful story with the highest quality animation.”
Barunson E&A participated as both an investor and sales agent for the film. “We plan to have a theatrical release in Indonesia in the first half of 2026,” Hermain said, adding that the team sees Indonesia as a key market and hopes the film will be released in other regions as well.
Developing a unique visual identity was very important to Ghani. “In today’s animation competitive environment, developing a unique and compelling visual identity from the start is essential,” he says, noting that the style must be both memorable and achievable within production constraints.
Multifaceted stories require extensive research across multiple genres. “We constantly study real-world soccer footage to ensure the authenticity and energy of our sports action sequences,” says Ghani. “Likewise, we analyze a wide range of comedies to understand the timing and presentation of humorous beats.”
The team is already developing follow-up projects to Garuda: Dare to Dream, but details have not yet been revealed.
