Cinema investment opportunities remain wide open : Minister

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia needs around 10,000 cinema screens to meet the growing demand of its expanding domestic film market, Culture Minister Fadli Zon said on Friday.

"We need about 10,000 screens, but we currently have only 2,500. This means there is enormous room for investment in the cinema sector," Zon told a press conference for the 2026 Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival (JAFF) Market in Jakarta.

He said the current number of cinema screens is far from sufficient for Indonesia's population of approximately 289 million people.

According to Zon, expanding cinema infrastructure presents a promising investment opportunity while also strengthening the country's film industry ecosystem.

He noted that many regions across Indonesia still lack movie theaters, including the city of Bukittinggi in West Sumatra, the birthplace of pioneering Indonesian filmmaker Usmar Ismail.

"I just returned from Bukittinggi. Even there, there is no cinema," he said.

Despite the shortage of theaters, Zon said public enthusiasm for films remains strong. He cited an open-air cinema organized by a local community in Bukittinggi, which attracted more than 1,000 viewers over six days.

He emphasized that the theatrical movie-going experience should continue to be promoted because it generates broader social and economic benefits than watching films through over-the-top (OTT) streaming platforms.

Going to the cinema not only supports the film industry but also stimulates other sectors of the economy while encouraging social interaction, he said.

"When people go to the cinema with friends or family, or combine it with a reunion or a social gathering, it helps strengthen social bonds," Zon said.

The government remains committed to strengthening Indonesia's film industry from production to distribution. This includes supporting initiatives like the JAFF Market, which serves as a platform for collaboration among filmmakers, producers, distributors, investors, and other industry stakeholders.

According to Zon, improving the country's film infrastructure is expected to accelerate the growth of Indonesia's film industry while expanding public access to the cinema-going experience.

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Translator: Farika, Azis Kurmala

Editor: Arie Novarina

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