Jakarta, Oct. 27 -- Gunawan Paggaru, chairman of the Indonesian Film Board (BPI) for the 2022-2026 term, has died at the age of 63.

The BPI confirmed his passing on Monday through its official Instagram account, @badan_perfilman_indonesia, expressing condolences and honoring his lifelong dedication to Indonesian cinema.

"He was a loyal friend who dedicated his life to the film industry he deeply loved," the post said.

Gunawan was widely known as a driving force in Indonesian film since the 1980s.

According to the Indonesian Film Artists Association (PARFI), represented by Evry Joe, he began his career in 1984 as a screenwriter with the Teater Populer Film Workshop, before earning recognition from renowned director Teguh Karya, who lat...