Cinema of Indonesia

People in Indonesia love to watch movies.

Long ago, most films came from far away.

In 1926, they made a special film. It told an old story called Loetoeng Kasaroeng.

It was a silent film.

Later, movies became very popular. Some films had songs and pretty views. These films helped the movie business grow.

Many people go to the theater now. In 2023, many films were huge hits. Millions of people went to see them.

Making movies is a big part of life there. It brings many people together.

People in Indonesia love to watch movies.

Long ago, most films came from other places. They came from Europe and the United States. In 1926, a local film was made. It was called Loetoeng Kasaroeng.

This was a silent film. It told a famous Sundanese legend.

Later, movies became very popular. Some films used songs and pretty views. A film called Terang Boelan was a big hit. This helped the movie business grow again. In the 1980s, movies reached a peak. Many people loved films like Catatan si Boy.

Making movies is a big part of life now. It is a fast-growing part of the economy. In 2023, many films were huge hits. Twenty films each had over one million viewers.

Many people go to theaters to watch them. There are about 2,354 screens in the country. Movies bring people together to share stories.

Cinema in Indonesia is a way for people to share stories through movies.

To be called an Indonesian film, the movie must be made using local resources. The people or companies that own the rights must also be Indonesian. Making movies is now a very fast-growing part of the country's creative economy. In 2019, more than 52 million people went to see movies.

This shows how much people love sitting together in a dark theater to watch a story unfold.

In the early days, the way movies worked was very different. From the early 1900s until the 1920s, most films were imported from Europe and the United States. Many of these were silent documentaries or feature films. In 1911, the first local documentaries began to be made. However, it took until 1926 to make the first local fiction film.

This movie was called Loetoeng Kasaroeng. It was a silent film based on a famous Sundanese legend. It was made by the NV Java Film Company in Bandung.

The history of these films has many different chapters. During the 1930s, a film called Terang Boelan became a huge success. It earned 200,000 Straits dollars in just two months. This success helped the local film industry grow again. Later, during the Second World War, the Japanese occupation changed things. The Japanese used film as a tool for propaganda. They set up a studio in Jakarta to make newsreels and educational films. Some people who worked there later helped Indonesia work toward independence.

After Indonesia became independent, the film industry went through many changes. In the 1950s and 1960s, directors like Usmar Ismail made a big impact. In 1954, Indonesia even made its first superhero film called Sri Asih. The industry reached a high point in the 1980s. During this time, many young stars became very famous. People loved watching films like Catatan si Boy or the comedy films by Warkop. One film, Tjoet Nja' Dhien, even won nine Citra Awards in 1988.

Today, watching movies is a big part of modern life in Indonesia.

In 2023, the industry set a new record. Twenty different films each attracted more than one million viewers. There are now about 2,354 screens across the country for people to visit. Large companies like 21 Cineplex and CGV Cinemas run many of these theaters. Whether it is a scary story or a funny one, cinema helps connect people through shared experiences.

The cinema of Indonesia refers to the diverse body of films produced within the country. According to the Indonesian Film Board (BPI), a film is classified as Indonesian if it is made using Indonesian resources. Additionally, the intellectual property rights must be owned entirely or partly by an Indonesian citizen or legal entity. Today, this industry is a vital part of the nation's creative economy. It serves as a medium for storytelling, cultural expression, and national identity.

In the early 20th century, the mechanism of film consumption was dominated by foreign imports. From the early 1900s through the 1920s, most theaters showed films from Europe and the United States. These were often silent documentaries or feature films. The Dutch East Indies government even sponsored documentaries about local nature and life. However, domestic production was slow to begin. The first local documentaries appeared in 1911. It was not until 1926 that the first domestic fiction film was released. This film, titled Loetoeng Kasaroeng, was a silent adaptation of a Sundanese legend.

The history of Indonesian cinema can be divided into several distinct eras. During the colonial era, ethnic Chinese directors and producers became a major force. Starting around 1928, they capitalized on film successes from Shanghai. By the early 1930s, Chinese-owned businesses dominated the industry. However, the Great Depression caused production to slow down significantly. High taxes and low ticket prices made it hard for local films to earn a profit. This allowed Hollywood productions to take over many local theaters.

A major turning point occurred in the late 1930s through specific commercial successes. A journalist named Albert Balink produced a film called Pareh in 1935. Although Pareh was a financial failure, it influenced future styles. His next film, Terang Boelan, was a massive commercial success. It earned 200,000 Straits dollars in only two months. This film, along with Fatima and Alang-Alang, helped revive the domestic industry. These successful films often used a specific formula involving romance, beautiful scenery, and songs.

During the Second World War, the Japanese occupation changed the industry's purpose. The Japanese government used film as a propaganda tool. They consolidated filmmaking organizations into a single studio called Nichi'ei in Jakarta. Most films produced during this time were educational films or newsreels. These newsreels, such as News from the South, were used to promote Japanese interests. While local production was limited, the occupation proved that non-Western nations could displace Western film dominance. Some workers at Nichi'ei stayed after the war to support Indonesian independence.

Following independence, the industry faced many political and economic shifts. The Sukarno government used film for nationalistic purposes and banned many foreign imports. Later, the Suharto regime introduced censorship to maintain social order. Despite these challenges, the 1980s became a golden era for Indonesian cinema. The industry reached its peak during this decade with successful films like Nagabonar and Catatan si Boy. Famous stars like Onky Alexander and Meriam Bellina became household names. In 1988, the film Tjoet Nja' Dhien won nine Citra Awards and was shown at the Cannes Film Festival.

The modern era has seen a massive resurgence in both interest and scale. After struggling in the 1990s due to Hollywood competition and economic crises, the industry reconstructed its identity. Today, it is the fastest-growing subsector of Indonesia's creative economy. In 2019, moviegoers exceeded 52 million people. The year 2023 was particularly notable, as 20 different films each attracted over 1 million viewers.

Currently, the infrastructure of Indonesian cinema is vast and highly organized. As of 2025, there are approximately 2,354 screens across the country. The theater market is dominated by large companies like 21 Cineplex, CGV Cinemas, and Cinépolis. These companies manage the widespread distribution of both local and international films. The industry continues to connect the nation through shared stories, ranging from teenage dramas to horror and historical epics.