Jakarta, May 19, 2025 — The Europe Today: Indonesia’s Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, met with French Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, in Cannes, France, to discuss efforts to enhance and formalize long-standing cultural cooperation between the two nations, which dates back to 1969.
“Minister Dati and I discussed cooperation in the field of culture, which will be the main focus of the state visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Jakarta at the end of May,” Zon stated in an official release on Sunday.
During the bilateral meeting, both ministers affirmed their shared commitment to strengthening collaboration in key cultural sectors, including art, film, museum management, cultural heritage preservation and utilization, and human resource development in the cultural sphere.
Minister Zon emphasized Indonesia’s intention to deepen its partnership with France in developing a sustainable film ecosystem, notably through cooperation with the Centre National du Cinéma et de l’image animée (CNC) of France. He noted that culture will be among the central themes of President Macron’s upcoming visit to Indonesia.
To formalize this commitment, both ministers agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cultural cooperation during President Macron’s state visit. The MoU will serve as a legal foundation to strengthen and expand bilateral collaboration across a wide range of cultural domains. These include museum development, creative cultural industries, film, capacity building, arts education and training, artist residencies, and cultural exchanges.
Highlighting Indonesia’s achievements in the international film arena, Zon showcased the success of the film Renoir—a multinational collaboration involving Indonesia, Japan, France, Singapore, and the Philippines—that was selected for the main competition at the Cannes Film Festival. He also spotlighted the domestic success of the animated film Jumbo, which has reached 10 million viewers in Indonesia.
“The Ministry of Culture is committed to building a strong film ecosystem through collaboration with all stakeholders, including through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) schemes, to realize a culturally grounded, economically independent, and politically sovereign Indonesian society,” Zon remarked.
Both ministers acknowledged a mutual interest in deepening joint initiatives such as co-productions, training programs, artist residencies, and mentorship opportunities. Zon further encouraged expanding collaborative platforms like the Indonesia–France Film Lab, a partnership between the Indonesian Ministry of Culture and the French Embassy in Jakarta, to strengthen the global presence of Indonesian cinema.
