Tuesday, 21 Jul, 2026

The Cannes 2026 Debrief: Navigating Complexity at the World’s Premier Film Stage

As the 2026 Cannes Film Festival draws its curtains, the cinematic landscape feels both profoundly shifted and distinctly reflective of the tumultuous times in which we live. For the past two weeks, the Film Comment editorial team has been embedded on the Croisette, cutting through the industry noise to provide a definitive account of the […]

Navigating the Labyrinth of Malaysian Film Censorship: Insights from the Freedom Film Network Conference

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – In an era where digital platforms offer unprecedented access to global content, the conversation around film censorship remains acutely relevant, particularly in Southeast Asia. While audiences in countries like Indonesia might associate film censorship with familiar blurs, cuts, or the omnipresent "Budaya Sensor Mandiri" jingle, the experience in neighboring Malaysia reveals […]

Navigating the Dark Legends of Central Java: Unlimited Production Unveils Horror Feature ‘Alas Roban’ Set for January 2026 Release

JAKARTA — The Indonesian cinematic landscape is preparing to welcome another major addition to its highly successful horror genre. Production house Unlimited Production has officially announced the upcoming release of its latest feature film, Alas Roban. Rooted in one of the most notorious and historically ominous locations in Central Java, the film is poised to […]

A Summer of Discontent: Navigating Air Quality, Escapism, and the Cultural Erasure of Women in Fantasy

As the Northern Hemisphere settles into the peak of summer, many communities across the continent are finding themselves under siege. What should be a season of outdoor recreation and sunshine has, for millions, transformed into a period of confinement. Between the hazardous air quality resulting from intensifying wildfire seasons and the pervasive anxiety of a […]

Indonesia’s Cinematic Ascendance: Navigating the Global Stage

This article is based on a collaborative research project between Cinema Poetica and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia. The findings were derived through rigorous digital data collection, processing, and analysis of media outlets and international film festival publications. Introduction: A New Chapter for Indonesian Cinema The landscape of global cinema is […]