Jakarta Strengthens Netflix Partnership to Advance Its Vision as a Film City

NUSA DUA, Jakartaweekly.com — The Jakarta Provincial Government is strengthening its partnership with Netflix as part of its broader vision to transform the Indonesian capital into a leading film and creative industry hub in Southeast Asia.

The collaboration was discussed during a series of meetings between Jakarta Deputy Governor Rano Karno and Netflix executives on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Video Operators Summit (APOS) 2026 in Nusa Dua, Bali. Jakarta was the only city invited to participate in the regional summit, providing an opportunity to engage with key stakeholders from the global entertainment and technology sectors.

The discussions underscore Jakarta’s ambition to establish itself as a “Film City” by attracting international productions, developing local talent, and creating broader economic opportunities through the creative economy.

Netflix Highlights the Strength of Indonesian Content

During the meeting, Netflix executives shared insights from the company’s decade-long journey in the Asia-Pacific region, emphasizing the growing importance of local content in driving audience engagement and business growth.

Ruben Hattari, Director of Public Policy for Netflix Asia Pacific, said Southeast Asia’s creative industry has become an increasingly important contributor to Netflix’s global success.

“After 10 years in the region, we are more convinced than ever that local content plays a major role in Netflix’s growth. In Indonesia, titles such as Cigarette Girl (Gadis Kretek) and Abadi Nan Jaya have achieved global success through Netflix. Moving forward, we hope to deepen our collaboration with Jakarta, not only in production but also in talent development for the film industry,” Hattari said.

More Netflix Productions Planned for Jakarta

The discussions continued in a closed-door session with Andrew Ure, Vice President of Netflix Asia Pacific, and Sung Q. Lee, Senior Director of Production at Netflix.

The meeting focused on opportunities to increase the number of Netflix productions in Jakarta following the successful filming of the Netflix original movie Tygo: Extraction in the first quarter of 2026.

Ure expressed appreciation for the support provided by the Jakarta administration during the production process.

“We are delighted to meet Deputy Governor Rano Karno and grateful for the support provided during the production of Tygo: Extraction. We are impressed by Jakarta’s vision as a Film City and believe the city has tremendous potential to become one of Southeast Asia’s premier filming destinations,” Ure said.

Lee echoed the sentiment, praising the city government’s assistance throughout the filming process.

“We were genuinely impressed by the support from the Jakarta Provincial Government. As an international production team, it is not always easy to know who to contact. The government helped ensure that filming in Jakarta’s Old Town area ran smoothly for approximately 50 days. It was an outstanding experience,” Lee said.

Beyond Production: Talent Development and Economic Impact

According to Jakarta officials, the partnership extends beyond business investment and content production. The collaboration is also expected to contribute to workforce development, job creation, tourism promotion, and broader economic growth.

The city government views Netflix’s growing interest as evidence that Jakarta is increasingly being recognized as a destination capable of supporting world-class creative industries.

Deputy Governor Rano Karno said the Film City initiative is part of a larger strategy to position the creative economy as a key contributor to Jakarta’s future growth.

“I sincerely thank Netflix for its trust in Jakarta. This is not merely an ambition but a broader vision to ensure that the film industry and other creative sectors generate tangible economic benefits for the city. The Jakarta Provincial Government is ready to support long-term collaboration, not only in production but also in the development of Indonesia’s film industry,” Rano said.

He also invited Netflix to participate in the Jakarta Film Summit 2026, scheduled to take place in October.

Creative Economy Expected to Benefit

Andhika Permata, Head of Jakarta’s Tourism and Creative Economy Agency, said the expansion of film production activities could create positive spillover effects for related sectors such as music, fashion, culinary businesses, and tourism.

“We fully support the Jakarta Film City initiative and are committed to implementing it effectively. We believe the creative economy can drive Jakarta’s economic growth while also increasing both domestic and international tourist arrivals,” Andhika said.

Looking ahead, at least three Netflix films and series are expected to be produced in Jakarta. The city and Netflix are also preparing talent development programs aimed at strengthening Indonesia’s film workforce and addressing the industry’s growing demand for skilled professionals.