Indonesian Director Kamila Andini Joins Cannes Women in Cinema Spotlight

CANTIKA.COM, Jakarta - Indonesian filmmaker Kamila Andini has been selected as the sole Asian filmmaker in the Women in Cinema Spotlight program organized by the Red Sea Film Foundation at the Cannes Film Festival 2026.

This program is one of the most prestigious initiatives in the international film industry, designed to strengthen the voices of female filmmakers from the Arab, African, and Asian regions on the global stage.

Kamila's presence in this program is a historic milestone: she is the first filmmaker from Southeast Asia to be spotlighted in the Women in Cinema Spotlight, a program that has previously featured filmmakers from the Arab, African, and South Asian regions.

This achievement also serves as a real recognition of Indonesia's position in the world of cinema. Indonesia's pride at the Cannes Red Sea Film Foundation is an international non-profit based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with a mission to support the development of cinema from the Arab, African, and Asian regions.

The Women in Cinema program held annually at Cannes has attracted global media attention - with coverage reaching 8.4 billion impressions in 2025, and the presence of figures such as Juliette Binoche, Catherine Deneuve, Sharon Stone, Naomi Campbell, and Fan Bingbing.

Kamila Andini's selection in this prestigious program is not just a personal accolade; it is a statement to the world that Indonesian cinema, and Southeast Asian cinema, has found its place at the global conversation table. "This award is not just mine - it belongs to all Indonesian female filmmakers who have fought to tell their stories with honesty and courage. I hope my presence here can open more doors for the next generation," said Kamila in a press release on Friday, May 16, 2026.

Empat Musim Pertiwi: Indonesian Film Ready to Touch the World

Kamila attended the Cannes Film Festival 2026 with her latest film, Empat Musim Pertiwi (Four Seasons in Java) - an international co-production involving eight countries, produced by Ifa Isfansyah (Forka Films). This film is a production of Indonesia that involves seven international cooperation production countries including France, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Singapore, and Saudi Arabia, starring Putri Marino, Arya Saloka, and Christine Hakim.

Developed with a distinctive cinematic language - lyrical, filled with emotions, and deeply rooted in Javanese culture - Empat Musim Pertiwi is a film that speaks about women, about loss, and about how humans endure the changes in the seasons of their lives. A story that is entirely Indonesian, yet entirely universal.

Short Profile of Kamila Andini

Kamila Andini is an Indonesian director and screenwriter known for her poetic and profound cinematic approach. Her work has been featured at prestigious film festivals worldwide, including the International Film Festival Rotterdam, Berlinale, Toronto International Film Festival, and Busan International Film Festival.

Her films - including The Seen and Unseen (2017) and Before, Now & Then (Nana) (2022) - have represented Indonesia on the international stage and solidified her name as one of the most important voices in contemporary Asian cinema.

"Dini is not just a talented director - she is a filmmaker who continues to grow and never stops seeking. Her presence in the Red Sea Film Foundation program at Cannes is evidence that Indonesian cinema has found its rightful place: in the midst of the global film conversation," said Ifa Isfansyah, Producer and Produser Forka Films.

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Read: At Cannes, Indonesia Seeks Stronger Film Deal with Saudi Arabia

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