JAKARTA — Indonesia is stepping up its Oscar campaign for Empat Musim Pertiwi (Four Seasons in Java), which has been selected as the country’s official submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards, or the 2027 Oscars.

Following the selection by the Indonesian Oscar Selection Committee (IOSC), production house Forka Films is preparing an international campaign strategy, including a partnership with French sales agent Goodfellas to help expand the film’s promotional reach overseas.

Producer Ifa Isfansyah said the Oscar campaign is expected to officially begin around mid-November, following the film’s upcoming international and domestic screenings.

“The Oscar campaign can only really begin around mid-November, and we now have a good sales agent,” Ifa said during the gala premiere of Empat Musim Pertiwi in Setiabudi, South Jakarta, on Friday.

According to Ifa, working with an experienced sales agent will help the film map out and expand its promotional activities among Academy members in the United States.

“Because, ultimately, the Oscars are also connected to promotion,” he said.

Busan First, Los Angeles Next

For now, the team is focusing on the film’s audience reception, particularly at its upcoming screening at the Busan International Film Festival, where Empat Musim Pertiwi will be featured in the A Window on Asian Cinema program beginning October 7.

The film is also scheduled to open in Indonesian cinemas on October 8, 2026.

Ifa emphasized that audience response will be an important part of the film’s international campaign.

“If there are a lot of viewers and the film achieves strong results domestically, that is also important because it contributes to its popularity,” he said.

“After Busan is finished, we will begin focusing on the campaign in Los Angeles, possibly all the way through the voting period,” Ifa added.

Why Kamila Andini Once Stopped Writing the Film

Behind the film’s Oscar journey is a screenplay that took years to develop.

Director and writer Kamila Andini began developing the idea for Empat Musim Pertiwi in 2017, at a time when Indonesia’s Sexual Violence Crime Bill, known as the RUU TPKS, had yet to be passed.

The lengthy struggle surrounding the legislation became one of the reasons Kamila temporarily stepped away from the screenplay.

“It was because women’s rights activists had already been fighting so hard for it,” Kamila said in Setiabudi, South Jakarta, on Friday, October 2, 2026.

Indonesia eventually passed the Sexual Violence Crime Law (UU TPKS) on April 12, 2022, through a plenary session of the House of Representatives.

“Now we have it, although we still have to see how its implementation works,” Kamila said.

Listening to Survivors Changed the Story

During the research process for Empat Musim Pertiwi, Kamila spoke with survivors of sexual violence and discovered perspectives that differed significantly from common assumptions about how survivors might respond to their experiences.

Rather than focusing primarily on revenge or punishment, some survivors she spoke with were more concerned with rebuilding their lives and finding a sense of safety and peace.

“Some of them weren’t looking for revenge or for the perpetrator to be punished. What they were looking for was peace of mind, a peaceful life—a space where they could feel comfortable, safe, and at peace,” Kamila said.

These conversations became an important part of the film’s emotional foundation, shifting the focus toward healing, survival, and the possibility of moving forward.

An Emotional Turning Point

Writing the screenplay was not an easy process for Kamila. At one point, the emotional weight of the story became overwhelming, prompting her to stop working on the script.

“I also had a period when I stopped writing the script because I thought this was really heavy. Can I do this? It was just too heavy. Maybe there are other, lighter stories that would be easier to make,” she recalled.

Her perspective changed after she came across two news reports about sexual violence cases in different parts of Indonesia.

“That was the point when I saw and read two articles about sexual violence that had happened in several regions of Indonesia,” Kamila said.

The stories ultimately reinforced her belief that Empat Musim Pertiwi was a story that needed to be completed, despite the emotional challenges involved in bringing it to the screen.

What Is Empat Musim Pertiwi About?

Empat Musim Pertiwi follows Pertiwi, played by Putri Marino, who returns to her hometown in Bromo after spending 20 years in prison.

Instead of finding a place to start over, Pertiwi faces severe rejection from both the local community and her own family. With only a handful of people willing to stand by her, she chooses to remain and confront the trauma of her past.

The story follows her difficult journey toward healing, reconciliation, and rebuilding her life.

The film stars Putri Marino, Arya Saloka, Christine Hakim, and Hana Malasan.

Empat Musim Pertiwi is scheduled to premiere in Indonesian cinemas on October 8, 2026, before continuing its international journey as Indonesia’s official submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2027 Oscars.