Indonesian auteur and actor Joko Anwar has received France’s prestigious Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters (Chevalier des Arts et Lettres) honour.
Created in 1957, the order celebrates people who have made a significant contribution to the arts and literature. It has three grades commander, officer and knight.
Recipients in recent years include US director Oliver Stone, Mexican filmmaker Alejandro Inarritu and Canadian Oscar-winner Denis Villeneuve.
Anwar received the honorary title of Chevalier (knight) in a ceremony at the French Ministry of Culture Building in Paris, where it was presented by French minister of culture Rachida Dati. She praised how the filmmaker creates accessible cinema while still addressing important societal issues.
“He established a unique artistic signature, exploring collective fears, social tensions, myths, and beliefs that shape our collective imagination,” said Dati. “His filmography spans a wide range of genres with rare freedom. He reinvented these genres with deep narrative vision and a singular aesthetic—blending traditional culture, social commentary, and gripping suspense. His films have resonated internationally.”
Anwar is widely recognised as one of Southeast Asia’s most influential auteurs, earning commercial and critical recognition over the past two decades. His 2017 horror Satan’s Slaves became the highest-grossing Indonesian film of the year and was distributed in more than 40 territories.
Anwar’s 2015 drama A Copy Of My Mind premiered in Venice Horizons before going on to play Toronto and Busan while Impetigore premiered at Sundance in 2019 and was Indonesia’s submission to the Academy Awards.
Also in 2019, he launched Indonesia’s first cinematic superhero universe with Gundala, which debuted at Toronto. His recent action feature, The Siege At Thorn High, was produced by Amazon MGM Studios and released globally on Prime Video in August.
In his acceptance speech in Paris, Anwar said: “Through stories packaged in horror, thrillers, or comedies, I try to talk about things that are often difficult to discuss directly: injustice, power, humans and the environment in which they live.”
Anwar’s next film is Ghost In The Cell, co-produced by South Korea’s Barunson E&A, which also handles worldwide sales. Set for release in 2026, it marks his 12th feature and is a horror-comedy that uses prison as a metaphor, while also addressing issues of environmental degradation, power, and moral responsibility.
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