Bali, May 26, 2025 – Deputy Minister of Creative Economy, Irene Umar, engaged in a discussion on strategic issues and potential collaborations with creative economy talents in Bali. She urged local creators to focus on leveraging the unique cultural identity of the Island of the Gods through the animation subsector.
Dok. Biro Komunikasi Kemenekraf - Wamenekraf Irene Umar diskusi bareng pegiat ekonomi kreatif bali untuk kembangkan animasi agar naik kelas, Bali, Selasa (27/5/2025).
“This discussion allows us to explore which local intellectual properties (IP) Bali has and to determine the direction we want to pursue. I believe that the creative economy talents in Bali should focus on intellectual property that can maximize and promote what is unique and distinctive about Bali,” said Deputy Minister Irene during the discussion held at Bali Timbungan Resto, Badung Regency, Bali, on Monday, May 26, 2025.
She expressed optimism that Bali could compete on the international stage by empowering Indonesia’s digital talents, such as animators. Irene cited the animated film Jumbo, which became the number one box-office hit in Indonesia with over 10 million viewers, as an example of how simple yet impactful storytelling can resonate with audiences of all ages.
Dok. Biro Komunikasi Kemenekraf
“There are many simple elements from Jumbo that resonate with both children and adults. Animators in Bali can package their work through simple yet powerful concepts that deliver strong messages, making animated films enjoyable for diverse audiences,” Irene added.
The discussion was also attended by representatives from Brown Bag Films, a successful animation studio known for its focus on original creativity. Their productions include Sonic Boom (for Technicolor, US), Tomonews (Next Animation Studio, Taiwan), Luna Petunia (for Brain Power Studio, Canada), Vampirina (for Brown Bag Films, Ireland), and Petualangan Si Unyil (for PFN Indonesia).
Dok. Biro Komunikasi Kemenekraf
“We need support from stakeholders, including the Ministry of Creative Economy. For the first phase, we plan to produce three feature-length animated films with themes of heroism, culture, tradition, and wildlife conservation. Previously, we created a 45-minute short film as a promotional medium for Indonesia’s 10 priority tourist destinations. These films will be distributed on international platforms such as Netflix,” said Sigit Eko Prabowo, Executive and Business Strategy Manager at Brown Bag Films.
Dok. Biro Komunikasi Kemenekraf
Deputy Minister Irene was accompanied by Deputy for Media Creativity Agustini Rahayu. Also present were Member of DPD RI Committee II Ida Bagus Rai Dharmawijaya Mantra, Head of Bali Provincial Tourism Office I Wayan Sumarajaya, Chairman of Denpasar Creative Board I Putu Yuliartha, Secretary of the Indonesian Advertising Companies Association Bali Chapter Edy Prabowo, CNN International and Warner Bros. Media Reporter Sarah Grace, and around 25 creative economy talents representing seven subsectors, including advertising, animation, television, gaming, fashion, crafts, and visual arts.
Reslyana Dwitasari
Acting Head of Bureau for Communication
Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency
