July 1, 2025
JAKARTA – Indonesia’s critically acclaimed filmmaker Kamila Andini has been selected as a member of the United States Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), giving her the honor of voting for films competing at the Academy Awards, widely known as the Oscars.
AMPAS is an international honorary organization made up of film professionals, including directors, actors, writers, producers, technicians and artists.
In a recent Instagram post, Kamila (@kamilaandini), who received the Visionary Director Award at the 2024 Busan International Film Festival for her Netflix series Gadis Kretek (Cigarette Girl), shared the news by posting the Academy’s announcement, which invited a total of 534 new members this year.
In addition to Gadis Kretek, Kamila is known for directing The Mirror Never Lies, The Seen and Unseen, Yuni and Before, Now & Then. Her work earned her multiple Best Director nominations at the Indonesian Film Festival between 2011 and 2022, as well as a Citra Award for Best Original Screenplay in 2011 for The Mirror Never Lies.
This year, she joins the Academy alongside international names such as singer Ariana Grande, as well as actors Jason Momoa and Kieran Culkin.
Meanwhile, Forka Films, the production house led by director and producer Ifa Isfansyah, who is also Kamila’s husband, shared the news in a press release on Friday, as reported by Tempo.co.
“Being part of the Academy is not just a personal achievement, but also an important step in bringing our stories as Indonesian women to the global stage,” Kamila said in the statement.
Ifa described Kamila’s selection as a significant milestone, not only for her, but for Indonesian and Southeast Asian cinema. “We believe her involvement in the Oscars will bring a new perspective from Asia into the film landscape,” he added.
Ifa also described Kamila as Forka Films’ key creative partner and a driving force behind films rooted in Indonesian culture, yet capable of speaking to a universal audience. Her work, he said, consistently highlighted the voices of women, indigenous communities and the younger generation, with a distinctive visual style and strong emotional sensitivity.
Kamila was born in Jakarta on May 6, 1986. She is the daughter of legendary director Garin Nugroho. She studied at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia, where she earned a degree in sociology and media arts. This academic background has informed her focus on social, cultural, gender equality and environmental themes, topics that continue to shape her storytelling.