Indonesian Cinema Industry Now Open for Foreign Investors
Jakarta. Indonesian filmmakers welcomed a new policy by the Indonesian government on Thursday (11/02) that allows for foreign investment in 35 business sectors, including cinemas and film production.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Darmin Nasution told a press conference that the government will allow foreign investors to fully own some businesses in both the tourism and film industry.
The chairman of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), Franky Sibarani, said the film production and cinema industry in Indonesia will be "more open."
"As the 2009 law states, [cinemas] must be able to [dedicate] 60 percent of their total screening time to Indonesian films. If we have more cinemas [as a consequence of foreign investment], we'll have more films [to reach this target]," Franky said.
Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung said the current situation is not good for the Indonesian film industry.
"87 percent of screens are located in Java ... 35 percent are in Jakarta. Only three or four companies get to participate in this business and it's not good," confirmed Lala Timothy from the Indonesian Film Producers Association (Aprofi).
Lala added that she hoped the new investment regulation would improve the local film industry and help boost the number of screens outside Java.
"We filmmakers would like to thank President Jokowi's cabinet for revising the negative investment list in the film sector. This is a huge opportunity to improve the Indonesian film industry," Lala said in a statement, referring to President Joko Widodo by his popular nickname.
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