The Embassy of France in Indonesia – Institut français d’Indonésie (IFI) presents the 28th edition of Festival Sinema Prancis (FSP), running from 19 November to 1 December 2026. Under the theme ‘Icons’, the festival brings 20 films to 63 venues across 19 Indonesian cities, celebrating the richness of French cinema while creating opportunities for French and Indonesian audiences and filmmakers to connect and exchange ideas.
From Jakarta, Bandung and Surabaya to Denpasar, Makassar, Medan and Yogyakarta, screenings will take place at Cinema XXI theatres, IFI and Alliance Française centres, as well as partner venues. The programme features a mix of celebrated classics, contemporary productions and new voices in French filmmaking.
Adding to this year’s celebration, Indonesian-French actor Maxime Bouttier joins the festival as its ambassador. Internationally acclaimed Indonesian filmmaker Edwin and French directors Alexandre Castagnetti and Julien Chheng will also attend as special guests, highlighting the growing creative relationship between the two countries.
This year’s theme pays tribute to influential figures whose creativity and achievements have left a lasting mark on French culture. Among the highlights are Monsieur Aznavour, celebrating the life and musical legacy of the legendary singer; Sarah Bernhardt, la Divine, about the actress who transformed the performing arts; and Fanon, exploring the ideas and revolutionary thinking of Frantz Fanon.
The programme also features De la Comédie-Française, a humorous look behind the scenes of France’s renowned theatre institution, and the two-part historical film De Gaulle, following Charles de Gaulle during the Second World War. The festival will close on 1 December with De Gaulle: Liberté, screened in eight cities through the IFI and Alliance Française networks.
A special tribute will also honour Jean Gabin, 50 years after his death. On 21 November, IFI Jakarta will screen Un singe en hiver (A Monkey in Winter), starring Gabin alongside Jean-Paul Belmondo, followed by a discussion with Jakarta Cinema Club about the actor’s contribution to French cinema. The evening will continue with Mélodie en sous-sol (Any Number Can Win), featuring Alain Delon.
Alongside these classics, audiences can discover recent French productions, including films presented at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. These include Léa Mysius’s Histoires de la nuit (The Birthday Party), selected for the Official Competition; Arthur Harari’s fantasy thriller L’Inconnue (The Unknown), starring Léa Seydoux and Niels Schneider; and Guillaume Canet’s Karma, a psychological thriller featuring Marion Cotillard.
Special Screenings and Meet the Filmmakers
The festival opens on 19 November with the Indonesian premiere of Le Fantôme de l’Opéra (The Phantom of the Opera), directed by Alexandre Castagnetti. The film will be screened simultaneously at eight Cinema XXI theatres in Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Medan, Denpasar, Makassar and Semarang. Castagnetti will attend the opening night in Jakarta.
Set against the magnificent backdrop of the Opéra Garnier, this modern retelling follows a young dancer who falls for a mysterious pianist during rehearsals for a cursed opera, blending romance, music and suspense.
On 22 November, French animation director Julien Chheng will attend the Indonesian premiere of his first feature film, Muyi, la légende du village des femmes (Muyi), at IFI Jakarta. Still awaiting its French release, the hand-drawn coming-of-age story was recognised as a hidden gem at the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Set in China, the film explores a young character’s journey towards emancipation through adventure and emotion. The screening will be followed by a discussion with the director.
Chheng will continue his visit with an event at Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia in Bandung on 23 November, followed by a meeting with film and animation students at BINUS University Alam Sutera on 24 November. These sessions offer young Indonesian talents a chance to learn about his creative process and experience in animation.
Another highlight comes on 25 November, when the screening of Histoires de la nuit will be followed by a discussion between director Edwin and audiences. Adapted from a novel by Prix Goncourt-winning author Laurent Mauvignier, the film provides an opportunity to explore how literature can be transformed for the screen and how filmmakers bring different storytelling perspectives to cinema.
Building Bridges Through Film
Beyond the screenings, Festival Sinema Prancis plays an important role in strengthening audiovisual cooperation between France and Indonesia. Building on the Borobudur Declaration on Joint Cultural Strategy, adopted by Presidents Emmanuel Macron and Prabowo Subianto in May 2025, and the first Strategic Cultural Dialogue held in Paris in July 2025, both countries continue to develop opportunities for collaboration in the creative industries.
This commitment is reflected in the Indonesia–France Film Lab, which will hold its third edition during the JAFF (Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival) Market in Yogyakarta from 25 to 30 November. With film co-productions as a key priority, the programme aims to connect Indonesian filmmakers with French producers and industry professionals.
For the second consecutive year, the Film Lab will include a scriptwriting workshop led by La Fémis, alongside an Industry Lab featuring speed meetings, mentoring sessions and masterclasses with French experts in production, writing and international sales.
Support for emerging Indonesian filmmakers is also part of the festival programme. For the second year running, short films by students from SAE Indonesia will be screened before the festival’s opening and closing films, giving young talents the opportunity to present their work to a wider audience.
The collaboration will continue in Paris with the Southeast Asia Film Forum, taking place from 9 to 13 December 2026. Hosted by France’s National Centre for Cinema (CNC), the Centre Pompidou and the French cultural network, the forum will bring together film professionals and institutional representatives from France and Southeast Asia through screenings, discussions and co-production meetings. Indonesia will have a prominent presence, with filmmaker Edwin presenting two films and participants from the 2025 Indonesia–France Film Lab given the opportunity to pitch their projects to French producers.
For programme details and screening schedules:
@ifi_indonesia
https://bit.ly/FSPifi26
