Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia has enrolled 9,264 arts and culture talents in its National Talent Management development program, with about 300 gaining international recognition in 42 countries, Culture Minister Fadli Zon said.
The Culture Ministry is committed to nurturing talent and supporting artists and cultural practitioners to compete and establish a strong presence internationally, Zon said.
“We also consistently promote our filmmakers at international festivals, sending them to events almost every month,” Zon said on Wednesday.
He made the remarks at the 2026 National Talent Management (MTN) Talent Fest and the launch of the MTN Integrated Database (BDT) at the National Development Planning Ministry’s (Bappenas) office.
Film delegations are sent throughout the year to major festivals, including the International Film Festival Rotterdam in the Netherlands and the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival in France, he said.
Other destinations include the Sundance Film Festival in the United States and the Berlin International Film Festival, also known as Berlinale, in Germany.
The ministry is also strengthening domestic events, including the Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival (JAFF) and Jakarta Film Week. Indonesian films have received numerous international awards, particularly in the short film category, Zon said.
“What we have yet to win is an Academy Award, which is quite difficult. But I think we have won quite a lot of other awards,” he said.
The MTN arts and culture program has reached 73,950 talents across 83 districts and cities.
Its development initiatives focus on five main disciplines: film, music, performing arts, literature and visual arts.
Zon said Indonesia’s younger generation has significant artistic potential, and the government must ensure they have access to support and opportunities to showcase their work.
“I believe Indonesia does not lack talent, but perhaps lacks support, facilitation from us, and platforms for them to perform on the national and international stage,” he said.