Emerging markets streaming service iflix is teaming with the Indonesian Agency for Creative Economy (BEKRAF) and the Indonesian Film Board (BPI) to produce a slate of five films from young Indonesian talents.
The first project, scheduled to start production before the end of 2018, will be a family film based on the contest-winning song, This Is My Holiday, composed by Stephen Irianto Wally.
The song was selected from more than 1,800 individual submissions from young artists in a nationwide competition, Lomba Cipta Lagu Anak 2018, sponsored by Indonesian president Joko Widodo.
The additional four projects will also be based on selections from Lomba Cipta Lagu Anak 2018:
Menjelajahi Dunia by Era Pratigo
Teman by Ghalifa Al Baladi
Jika Hatimu Gundah Gulana by Ikbar Haskara Damarjati
Senyum untuk Dunia by Fickar Iskandar
BEKRAF will open nominations to young Indonesian filmmakers to submit their proposal to develop each song into a movie, with iflix as the lead investor. The series of co-productions will premiere exclusively on iflix’s platform in 2019.
iflix co-founder and group CEO, Mark Britt (pictured with Triawan Munaf) said: “Indonesia is Asia’s fastest-growing and most competitive market.
“We are excited to be working with, and supporting, young, talented local creatives with fresh ideas to offer iflix users the very best in entertainment, in addition to providing opportunities for aspiring Indonesian film industry players to showcase their work and make it more accessible to audiences across the country as well as worldwide.”
BEKRAF chairman Triawan Munaf said: “This collaboration is very much in line with President Joko Widodo and BEKRAF’s vision to boost the growth of Indonesia’s creative economy. I am very pleased to see iflix join us in championing the development of local talent.”
Iflix, which is available across Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East, is planning to invest $40-50m into local-language content in Indonesia, both through original productions and acquisitions.
BEKRAF (Badan Ekonomi Kreatif Indonesia) is a specially formed government agency under the President of Indonesia that is responsible for the development of Indonesia’s creative economy.
BPI (Badan Perfilman Indonesia) is an organisation representing the Indonesian film community, which has a mission to be a strategic partner of the Indonesian government in conducting various film-related programmes.