By: JAFF Market

Asian cinema is undergoing a renaissance. From South Korea’s global breakthrough to the rise of Southeast Asian storytellers, the region is making its mark on the international stage. Yet behind every Cannes selection or streaming platform hit is a story that almost didn’t happen. The gap between a filmmaker’s vision and the resources needed to realize it is still vast, especially for emerging voices.

This is where JAFF Future Project steps in. Positioned at the crossroads of artistry, access, and industry, it is not just a showcase, but a dynamic networking platform. Using a speed-dating format, JAFF Future Project creates targeted opportunities for filmmakers to meet potential partners such as investors, producers, distributors, festival programmers, funders, and online collaborators, all in one place.

JAFF Future Project is designed to address the challenges that filmmakers in Indonesia and across much of Asia face: limited funding, fragmented industry connections, and the absence of efficient entry points into the global market. JAFF Future Project simplifies this process of finding partners by offering a curated environment designed for connection and deal-making.

Over three days, selected filmmakers will participate in curated networking rounds, one-on-one meetings, and group mixers, each arranged with a clear purpose of finding partners whether to secure financing, explore co-productions, negotiate distribution, or unlock new creative and business partnerships.

Participants are selected based on originality, market relevance, and the readiness to engage with potential partners. Once in the program, participants are matched with industry figures best aligned to their project’s needs. The emphasis is on stories rooted in regional authenticity, but with the capacity to connect to global audiences.

“For us, the key is creating the right meeting at the right moment,” said Meiske Taurisia, JAFF Future Project Advisor. “In the film industry, timing is everything. A single meeting can spark an international co-production, open funding channels that were previously out of reach, or set a project on course for a premiere at a major festival. Our role is to ensure each meeting has direction and strategic potential—not just casual introductions, and build the foundation for collaborations that can take a project to the next stage.”

JAFF Future Project is built on trust. Trust in bold creators and in the power of introducing them to the right partners at the right time. The next generation of storytellers from Asia are already here; they just need a direct path to the networks that can bring their stories to life.

In its first edition, the results spoke volumes. Projects like Pangku by Reza Rahadian, which participated in the program, went on to secure a market screening at Marché du Film at Festival de Cannes 2025. More importantly, the project connected with partners who could carry it forward, proof that the right meeting can change a project’s trajectory.

Participants consistently cite the value of these connections: finding collaborators across borders, gaining insight into funding landscapes, and forming relationships that extend well beyond the market. The program also fosters a peer network of filmmakers who champion each other’s work long after the event ends.

The impact goes beyond individual projects. By enabling connections across the content value chain from script consultants, line producers, and post-production houses to sales agents and legal advisors, the program strengthens the entire ecosystem.

With Indonesia’s cinema admissions for 2025 already surpassing 35 million , JAFF Future Project ensures that audience growth is matched by a pipeline of quality, diverse, and globally competitive content.

To keep pace with an evolving industry, future editions will look to expanding regional mobility, growing its alumni network, and integrating more directly with buyers and digital platforms. Sustainable funding from cultural institutions and private investors will be key to scaling its reach.

JAFF Future Project is not just about giving projects a head start. It’s about creating the encounters that turn ideas into deals, and deals into screens that resonate worldwide. This is what a modern networking platform can do: connect the next wave of filmmakers with the partners who can help them ride the wave.