TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - In France, Indonesia's Culture Minister Fadli Zon is seeking stronger film collaboration with Saudi Arabia. The minister has been attending a series of events at the Cannes Film Festival, including a meeting with Abdullah Alayaf, Film Commission and Red Sea Program Director, on Wednesday, May 13, 2026.
Minister Fadli said film cooperation is an important part of strengthening cultural diplomacy between the two countries amid growing bilateral ties in the cultural sector.
"As the country with the world's largest Muslim population, Indonesia believes the two countries share aspirations to transform the cultural, demographic, and creative potential of the Muslim world into a major force in the global film and audiovisual industry," he said, referring to Saudi Arabia and Indonesia.
He said films and storytelling could help bridge more diverse and humanistic narratives to global audiences. He also highlighted historical ties between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia through the Hajj pilgrimages of several Indonesian independence figures.
According to Fadli, Indonesia remains open to broader cooperation in talent exchange, festival collaboration, co-production, film financing, capacity building, and networking among filmmakers and cultural figures from both countries.
Meanwhile, Abdullah Alayaf welcomed the initiative and expressed hope that more Indonesian films would be screened in Saudi cinemas.
The ministry also encouraged broader cooperation between the Red Sea International Film Festival and Indonesian film platforms such as the Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival and Jakarta Film Week.
Minister Fadli said the success of Indonesian films "Jumbo" and "Agak Laen 2," which each attracted more than 10 million viewers domestically, reflects the growth of the national film ecosystem.
He added that Indonesia's participation in the 2026 Cannes Film Festival is expected to expand opportunities for Indonesian filmmakers in the global film industry while increasing the international visibility of Indonesian works.
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