Jakarta, September 3, 2026 – The Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency (Ekraf) is strengthening cross-sectoral synergy with the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (Kemen PPPA) to support the promotion and development of the potential ecosystem surrounding Desember Jani, a film by Palari Films scheduled for release at the end of this year. Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene Umar emphasized that the value of a national film should not end when its theatrical run concludes.
Deputy Minister of Creative Economy/Deputy Head of the Creative Economy Agency (Ekraf), Irene Umar, received an audience with Palari Films to support the promotion and development of the potential ecosystem surrounding the film Desember Jani, Jakarta, Thursday (3/9/2026).
“If a film has strong Intellectual Property (IP), we can explore how that IP can be developed into various creative economy opportunities, including merchandise production, collaborations with other subsectors, and sustainable sources of income or royalties,” said the Deputy Minister during a meeting with Palari Films at the Ministry of Creative Economy office in Jakarta, Thursday (3/9).
The Ministry of Creative Economy is open to facilitating creative and inclusive marketing strategies. According to the Deputy Minister, one approach is to connect film creators with various communities and other relevant creative economy subsectors.
“We need to watch Desember Jani first before it is released to the public so that we can understand its feel and the strength of its story. After that, we can look for the right collaboration partners, including women’s communities, culinary advocates, and other creative economy subsectors. Therefore, promoting a film is not merely about hard selling, but about building conversations and experiences that are relevant to audiences,” the Deputy Minister continued.
Photo: Bureau for Communication, Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency.
Desember Jani tells the story of four women from different generations within one family, focusing on the struggles of a single mother as both a breadwinner and the person responsible for caregiving in the household. The Indonesian film also explores the relationship between mothers and children, including issues of communication and the choices of children seeking space outside their families.
“Stories like this are important because they show how women take on multiple roles at the same time. It is also interesting to see how Desember Jani can open conversations about family, communication between parents and children, and how each family member has their own perspectives and choices,” said Deputy Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Veronica Tan.
Palari Films is a Jakarta-based production house with a track record of Indonesian films that have received recognition at both the national and international levels. Its filmography includes Posesif (2017), Aruna & Lidahnya (2018), Seperti Dendam, Rindu Harus Dibayar Tuntas (2021), and Tebusan Dosa (2024). In addition, the films Ali & Ratu Ratu Queens (2021), Dear David (2023), and Kabut Berduri (2024) have received international distribution through Netflix.
Photo: Bureau for Communication, Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency.
“Thank you for the positive response from the Deputy Minister of Creative Economy and the Deputy Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection toward Desember Jani. In particular, many of the key roles in this Indonesian film are handled by women, including director Ariani Darmawan, who is from Bandung; screenwriter Cyntha Hariadi; production designer Suherina; and all four of its female cast members. We also involve men in roles as Director of Photography (DOP) and editor, so they can also see what a woman’s perspective looks like in this film,” said Meiske Taurisia, the film’s producer.
Data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS) show that the creative economy sector absorbed 27.4 million workers in 2025, or approximately 18.70 percent of the total national workforce. Workers employed in creative economy subsectors have an inclusive profile, with women accounting for an average of around 58 percent. This figure is also in line with data presented by Bank Indonesia at Karya Kreatif Indonesia (KKI) 2026, which recorded that 58.39 percent of the creative economy workforce were women.
Photo: Bureau for Communication, Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency.
“We hope that Desember Jani can be amplified and become part of the public conversation. We can then work together to explore potential collaborations, such as movie screenings with communities that are relevant to the film,” said Tunggal Pawestri, Associate Producer.
Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene Umar was accompanied by Director of Film, Animation, and Video Doni Setiawan.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Head of Bureau for Communication
Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency
