Jakarta. Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno said Tuesday that Indonesia could have its movies reach the Australian market with the films possibly being played in the neighbor not being limited to those of the horror genre.

Australia already has its movies played in Indonesian cinemas -- one of the most recent ones to hit Jakarta is the supernatural horror film “Talk to Me”. According to Sandiaga, Indonesia has the potential to do the same with its movies, be it reaching the Australian theaters or via online streaming services. While horror is the most sought-after genre among Indonesian viewers, the Australian audience may be more open to other types of movies. 

“As our bilateral relation strengthens, it’s only natural that we see our movies reaching the Australian market or vice versa. … I’m not sure if Australians are into horror movies, but they are really popular here in Indonesia,” Sandiaga said on Tuesday when asked by the Jakarta Globe which genre of Indonesian movies could sell well in Australia. 

The minister then discussed the recently released “Tuhan Izinkan Aku Berdosa” (‘God Please Let Me Sin’). The drama film zeroes in on sexual violence by seemingly religious figures -- a bold theme to be played in Muslim-majority Indonesia. 

Sandiaga added: “Back then, there were not many movies that brought up sensitive issues, but here we have ‘Tuhan, Izinkan Aku Berdosa’ tackling the issue of sexual violence against women. I think movies that explore such sensitive subjects will be well-accepted in the international audience.”

Another type of movie that will likely capture Australians’ hearts are those that are shot in Bali. The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) data shows that the foreign tourists in Bali mainly come from Australia. In February 2024 alone, Bali attracted 454,801 foreign tourist arrivals -- about 20.45 percent of which were by Australian travelers. 

“So I’m pretty sure that movies related to Bali can find a great market in Australia,” Sandiaga said. 

Aussie moviegoers are not only interested in what Hollywood releases. Foreign language and indie movies have their own following, according to Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Penny Williams. 

“Australians like the movies shown at festivals,” the diplomat said while acknowledging Indonesian films’ potential to penetrate into Canberra’s market. 

Some Indonesian movies have made it to cinemas overseas. As a case in point, “Pengabdi Setan” (‘Satan’s Slaves’) and its sequel “Pengabdi Setan 2: Communion” ” (‘Satan’s Slaves 2: Communion’) already hit Malaysian theaters a few years ago. The sequel even topped the Malaysian box office in 2022.

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