Cannes Critics’ Week Unveils Next Step Studio Indonesia

Cannes Critics’ Week has unveiled Next Step Studio Indonesia, marking a significant expansion of its talent development programs for 2026.

The venture, created in partnership with production companies KawanKawan Media and DW, revives the spirit of La Factory – a filmmaker incubator that ran at Directors’ Fortnight beginning in 2013.

Under the new banner, four pairs of directors will collaborate on quartet of short films, each running 15 minutes. The lineup splits evenly between Indonesian talent and international helmers, with each duo sharing writing and directing duties. Financing comes entirely from Indonesian sources, and the finished works will debut at Critics’ Week with a dedicated “Next Step Presents” showcase. The screenings double as a marketplace opportunity, with participating directors presenting their debut or sophomore feature concepts to acquisition executives, sales agents and potential co-production partners.

The model builds on a decade of global outreach that has touched multiple continents. Previous iterations visited locations including Taiwan, Chile, Finland, Denmark, South Africa, Lebanon, Tunisia, the Balkans, northern Portugal, the Philippines and Brazil’s Ceará region. The track record shows more than 80 directors passing through the program, with close to 50 going on to complete their first features.

“Our goal is all about using collaboration as a framework to launch not only stories from Indonesia, but also to introduce Southeast Asia talents and voices who can grow in the international stage in the future,” said Yulia Evina Bhara of KawanKawan Media, who is co-producing the inaugural edition. “We are thrilled that our company KawanKawanMedia is representing Indonesia to convey this spirit and deeply energized that La Semaine de la Critique shares the enthusiasm. We feel honored to collaborate with DW and La Semaine in this inaugural edition.”

Funding for the Jakarta-based production comes from municipal authorities and Indonesian cultural institutions, with support from the French Embassy in Indonesia and the Institut français d’Indonésie. Bhara shares producing responsibilities with Dominique Welinski of DW, who developed the original Factory concept and continues as the program’s creative architect.

“Next Step Studio marks a new start for the Factory program. Critics’ Week is the home for first and second features in Cannes. It’s a natural move, thanks Ava Cahen, Thomas Rosso, Remi Bigot and the whole team who are welcoming us with a shared enthusiasm,” Welinski said. “This first edition in Indonesia is already on its way, thanks to Yulia Evina Bhara, her partners and team, who have been working hard for the program to happen.”

The initiative extends beyond pure production, positioning itself as networking infrastructure for emerging filmmakers. By coupling the Cannes premiere with structured industry access, organizers hope to create visibility for participants while connecting Indonesian production capacity with international distribution channels. Post-Cannes, the shorts typically travel to major festivals including Sundance, Toronto and Clermont-Ferrand, with television broadcasters and streaming services frequently acquiring rights.

Next Step Studio represents an evolution of Critics’ Week’s existing workshop programs, which focus on shepherding directors through the transition from short-form to feature-length work. While earlier iterations centered on filmmakers already selected for the festival’s short film competition, the new model welcomes outside projects and emphasizes cross-cultural exchange. Several international participants will have previous Next Step experience, creating mentorship opportunities within the cohort.

“After Next Step in 2014 and Next Step II in 2023, we are delighted to continue developing our workshops with Next Step Studio,” said Thomas Rosso, director of Next Step. “A different formula but the same goal, at the heart of Critics’ Week’s mission: to discover and support new talent in world cinema, specifically here on their journey from short to feature film. It is a pleasure to welcome Dominique Welinski to the Next Step family and to collaborate with the talented Yulia Evina Bhara for this first stop in Indonesia: a way to gradually open our program to new horizons and new proposals, always in a spirit of exchange and experimentation.”