Internationalization as Democratization? Film Festivals, Streaming and Creative Freedom

As the creative space in Indonesia has become more contested with the rise of illiberal publics and capricious state agencies, filmmakers wanting to make critical or challenging work have turned to transnational screening spaces like film festivals and streaming platforms. The transnational spaces enable filmmakers to evade the constraints of the nation and offer a means to showcase work and access new revenue streams. This chapter explores how filmmakers Garin Nugroho and Lucky Kuswandi have leveraged these opportunities. In discussing the tensions between artistic freedom, censorship, and the complex cultural politics as transnational spaces integrate into Indonesia’s screen economy, this chapter questions the idea that film festivals and streaming platforms are a panacea to the challenges facing Indonesia’s screen industries.