Indonesia’s film pipeline is surging into 2026, with plans to span adaptations of celebrated literature, bold auteur dramas, family-friendly tentpoles, genre breakouts, and much-anticipated franchise expansions. Talent from across the region underpins our diverse lineup, supported by a growing network of producers and international partners.
Selected by Variety in collaboration with JAFF Market, this year’s hot titles are presented in alphabetical order, highlighting 12 Indonesian titles that will define Indonesia’s goals for 2026.
Director: Hanun Bramancho
Producer: Manoj Punjabi
Production company: MD Pictures
Starring: Jared Ali, Umayra Jarrah, Andri Mashadi, Faradina Mufti, Slamet Rahardjo, Oki Renga, Muhadkuri Acho, Reza Nagin, Benidictus, Dodit Mulyanto, Rorocks, Varen Arianda, RR Astagina Jyoti
A brother and sister living in poverty on the outskirts of Semarang go about their daily lives when a pair of shoes goes missing, sparking a cycle of shame, secrecy, and resilience. The Indonesian version, a remake of Majid Majidi’s iconic Iranian classic, retains the emotional core of siblings taking turns sharing a pair of shoes so as not to disappoint their parents, while a desperate hope that third place in a local race will make things right for the boy. A grounded and emotional family drama from one of Indonesia’s most commercially trusted directors.
Dance of the Damned (Badut Gendon)
Director: Charles Gozali
Producer: Linda Gozali
Production company: Magma Entertainment, Comet Productions
Starring: Martino Rio, Dainta Melilla, Clara Bernadez, Darby Romero, Iskaku Kivano, Barry Prima
Expanding the world of “Qodrat,” this horror entry follows two street performers who cause a brutal tragedy that unleashes a malevolent entity rooted in ritual, folklore, and revenge. With Charles Gozali’s direction and a skilled ensemble, the film positions itself as the next major horror series in Indonesia’s ever-expanding paranormal phenomenon.
Four Seasons of Java (Empat Musim Pertiwi)
Director: Camila Andini
Producer: Ifa Isfanshah
Production companies: Forka Films, Miles Films, Imajinari, Jagartha, Trinity, Team Up, Julie Estelle & Navvaros, Storm Films (Norway), Lemming Films (Netherlands), One Two Films (Germany), Ici Et La (France), Giraffe Pictures (Singapore), PFX (Poland), Brand Film, Chada Entertainment (Thailand)
Starring: Putri Marino, Arya Saroka, Christine Hakim, Hana Pitrashata Malasan
A woman recently released from prison returns to her village, finds solidarity among the marginalized, and tries to rebuild her life. Andini draws from his experience at successful international festivals to craft a story about home, forgiveness, and the slow communal reshaping of identity. An extensive international co-production footprint confirms the film’s global ambitions.
Garuda: Dare to Dream (Garuda Di Dhadak)
Director: Ronnie Gani
Producer: Shanti Harmain, Tanya Yuson, Aura Ravenson
Production company: KAWI Animation, BASE Entertainment, Robot Playground Media
Putra, a 13-year-old boy with asthma, dreams of becoming a member of the Indonesian national soccer team, but he is mocked during his trials by Aldo, who ridicules his weak body and repeated failures. After collapsing during a showdown on the pitch, he awakens in another realm and meets Gaga. Gaga is a glowing Garuda spirit who has given him a mystical jersey that grants him supernatural speed and skill. On a magical field, he is pulled back after a duel with Bayu, the captain of the national team, who warns him that the power of the jersey belongs only to those who deserve it. Putra must now stand up for herself, balancing magic and determination. The animated/live-action hybrid is positioned as a major family franchise starter.
ghost in the cell
Director: Joko Anwar
Producer: Tia Hasibuan
Production companies: Come and See Pictures, Rapi Films, Barunson E&A (Korea), Legacy Pictures
Starring: Abhimana Aryasathiya, Bron Palalae, Danan Suryonegoro, Endy Alfian, Lukman Sardi, Mike Lecoq, Yoga Pratama, Morgan Ooi, Aming, Kiki Narendra, Ri O Dewanto, Tora Sudiro, Almanzo Konolarma, Haidar Sarish, Arsuwendy Benning Swara, Dewa Dayana, Faiz Vishal, Jaisal Tanjung, Ho Yuhan, Majistus Mifta.
Joko Anwar’s latest film is a horror comedy set in Labuan Angsana, one of Indonesia’s most notorious prisons. Rival gangs and abusive guards make survival a waking nightmare, but the prison descends into chaos when an unseen force begins slaughtering the prisoners one by one. Murderers, thieves, and con artists must do the unthinkable: work together to survive. The film aims to combine claustrophobic tension with black humor. Backed by Barunson E&A, the Korean studio that produced “Parasite,” the project is one of the most important Indonesian-Korean collaborations to date.
The Last Flight (Penelbangan Terrakill)
Director: Benny Setiawan
Producer: Tony Ramesh
Production company: Visual Media Studio
Starring: Jerome Kurnia, Nadia Arena, Agniny Haq
This glossy aviation thriller centers on a charismatic pilot whose manipulative relationships with multiple flight attendants erupt into scandal at 30,000 feet. Combining romance, psychological drama, and workplace peril, this film exposes the toxic dynamics hidden behind the glamor of commercial aviation.
Director: Ryan Adriandi
Producer: Angia Karisma, Novia Puspa Sari
Production company: Bicinema
Starring: Luisa Adrina, Freya Mihaila, Azamy Shawki, Ibrahim Arsenio, Irma Lihi, Junior Riem, Ayla Wibowo, Melissa Karim
From the popular book set in Surabaya, Na Wila follows a six-year-old girl whose perfect little world changes as her friends start school and an accident shakes her confidence. Willa’s attempts to regain normalcy are guided by a school that stifles her curiosity and forces her to choose between conformity and her voice. This is the next film from Ryan Adriandi, the director of “Jumbo,” which became Indonesia’s biggest box office hit ever.
Operation: Pesta Pora
Director: Edie Kemodo
Producer: Ernest Prakasa, Dipa Andika, Iqbal Ramadan, James Erlanga
Production company: Imaginari, Angin Seeger, Boss Creator
Starring: Iqbal Ramadan, Christo Immanuel, Zulfa Maharani, Kawai Rabiba
A small team of pickpockets are planning their last big score at Indonesia’s biggest music festival, Pestapola. This comic heist movie combines the kinesthetic sensibilities of Kemodo with the commercial instincts of Prakasa, with rising star Iqbal Ramadan fronting an ensemble aiming to break into the mainstream.
Rainbow of Mars (Pelangi di Mars)
Director: Youpi Guava
Producer: Dendy Reynand
Production company: Mahakarya Pictures, MBK, Guava Film, DossGuavaXR Studio, PFN
Starring: Messi Gusti, Lutesha, Rio Dewanto, Libby Renata, Misha Lyn Adiva
Set in the year 2100, this live-action/CG hybrid follows Pelangi, the first human on Mars, as she teams up with her malfunctioning robot companions to find a rare mineral that could save Earth’s water crisis and reunite with her father. Featuring virtual production, robot-driven characters, and a direct homage to Indonesia’s first female astronaut candidate, Pratiwi Soedarmono, through the character of Ibu Pelangi, the film aims to redefine the local family adventure space.
The sea speaks its name (Laut Bercelita)
Director: Josep Angi Noen
Producer: Gita Fara
Production companies: PAL8 Pictures, Visual Media Studio, Jagartha, Lynx Films, Brandlink
Starring: Reza Rahadian, Unita Siregar, Dian Sastrowardoyo, Eva Celia, Christine Hakim, Arsuwendy Beningswara
This political drama, based on the best-selling novel by Leila S. Chudhury, spans two parallel perspectives: an idealistic student activist who throws himself into a secret resistance movement in the 1990s, and his sister, who seeks answers years later after his disappearance. Anggi Noen blends poetry, memory, and political grief into a story that confronts a pivotal chapter in Indonesia’s history that still resonates today. The Locarno Film Festival award-winning director has adapted one of Indonesia’s most beloved works of literature into a far-reaching film drama with political resonance.
Sleep No More (Monster Pavlik Rambut)
Director: Edwin
Producer: Maisuke Taurisia, Muhammad Zaidi
Production companies: Parali Films, Beacon Films, Giraffe Pictures (Singapore), Hassak Labs, In Good Company, Apsara Films
Starring: Rachel Amanda, Lutesha, Iqbal Ramadan, Sal Priadi, Luqman Kev, Didik Nini Tohok
A surreal fable about a world where humans are so obsessed with productivity that they even abandon sleep, and furry shadow beings take over our exhausted bodies. Edwin’s return to genre-defying arthouse promises a hallucinatory critique of contemporary work culture.
Susanna Magic (Susanna: Santet Dosa di Atas Dosa)
Director: Azhar Kinoy Rubis
Producer: Sunil Soraya
Production company: Soraya Intercine Films
Cast: Luna Maya, Reza Rahadian, Clift Sangra, Iwa K, Andy/RIF, Adi Bin Slamet, Ens Bagus, Ajis Gagap, Nai Jenard, Maisa Ayu, Nunun, El Manik, Budi Bima
A reimagining of Indonesian horror icon Susannah, the film depicts a woman cursed by a ruthless village leader and driven to master the dark arts for revenge. But her path becomes complicated when she finds unexpected love, forcing her to choose between retribution and redemption. One of Indonesia’s most enduring supernatural legends has been revived in high-profile fashion.
