Jakarta, January 24, 2025 – Film is one of the creative economy sectors that resonates closely with the public. The Ministry of Creative Economy is proactively supporting local filmmakers to bring Indonesian films to the international stage.
One of the initiatives includes promoting films through public screenings. On Friday, January 24, 2025, Ministry of Creative Economy invited several ministers to a special screening of Visinema’s latest film, Ambyar Mak Byar, at XXI Plaza Indonesia, Jakarta.
The Minister of Creative Economy/Minister of the Creative Economy Agency, Teuku Riefky Harsya, and Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene Umar were joined by the Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (Menko IPK AHY), and Deputy Minister of Trade, Dyah Roro Esti Widya Putri. Additionally, high-ranking officials from Ministry of Creative Economy, including the Secretary of the Ministry/Principal Secretary Dessy Ruhati, Deputy for Digital Creativity and Technology Muhammad Neil El Himam, and Deputy for Media Creativity Agustini Rahayu, were also present.
Ambyar Mak Byar tells the story of a campursari musician's journey in pursuing his dream of becoming a successful singer. As a musical comedy, the film strongly reflects Indonesian culture, particularly campursari music. Minister of Creative Economy Riefky believes that the film serves as a platform to introduce Indonesia’s distinctive culture and music to the world.
"Not all film producers and directors focus on showcasing Indonesian culture, but this film stands out by highlighting campursari and featuring top Indonesian singers. I also know that Visinema’s plan is not just for Indonesia but also for the global audience," said Minister of Creative Economy Riefky after the screening.
Ministry of Creative Economy is playing an active role in ensuring that Indonesia's thriving film industry stays on track. Minister of Creative Economy Riefky stated that various efforts have been and will continue to be made to ensure Indonesian films not only grow domestically but also penetrate the global film market.
"Our target for 2025 is to reach 81 million viewers for Indonesian films, and that number will continue to grow. Recognizing this potential, the Ministry of Creative Economy will not let the industry struggle alone. We will work together to explore collaborative opportunities to ensure continuous growth," said Minister of Creative Economy Riefky.
"Additionally, we are working alongside the Indonesian Film Board and its 65 associations to tackle piracy. We must prevent hard-earned productions from being illegally copied within minutes," he added.
Echoing Minister of Creative Economy Riefky's sentiments, Coordinating Minister AHY emphasized that Ambyar Mak Byar is more than just entertainment—it also carries elements of local culture. He also highlighted the uniqueness of the musical genre, which is relatively rare in Indonesian cinema.
"This film is packaged engagingly; it's a comedy but incorporates Koplo music. As we know, koplo music is not only popular in Java but also widely enjoyed across Indonesia. Hopefully, this will pave the way for more musical films in the industry, as it can help promote Indonesia’s diverse cultural heritage, each with its regional uniqueness," said AHY.
Meanwhile, Angga Dwimas Sasongko, Founder and CEO of Visinema, expressed his gratitude to Ministry of Creative Economy for its remarkable support. Addressing Minister Riefky and other officials at the screening, Angga shared his ambition for Indonesian films to gain global recognition.
"Visinema has several business units and subsidiaries dedicated to bringing stories from across Indonesia to the global stage. Today, we witnessed two works that are deeply local yet have international potential. We want to show that Indonesia’s creative minds are not just dominant in the local market but have the vision to bring Indonesia to the world stage," said Angga.
In addition to screening Ambyar Mak Byar, Visinema also presented the first 12 minutes of Jumbo, an animated film by Indonesian creators, set for release in April 2025. According to Angga, Jumbo will be screened globally in more than 20 countries.
"Hopefully, this gives everyone here a glimpse of how far we can go as Indonesian storytellers in the world," Angga concluded.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Acting Head of the Communications Bureau
Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency
