Festive, 140 Participants Fill the Film Screening of House of Indonesiana in Cirebon

Cirebon, June 9, 2026 – A warm and enthusiastic atmosphere colored the Watch Together (Nobar) event for the film produced by the House of Indonesiana (HOI) program, organized by the Cultural Media Center (BMK), Ministry of Culture, at XXI Cirebon Superblock (CSB), Cirebon City, West Java, on Tuesday (6/9). A total of 140 participants from various backgrounds filled the cinema studio to watch the screening of the animated film Banyu and the documentary film Lakon, two selected works from the HOI program that will soon be aired on the platform Indonesiana.TV.

HOI is a program resulting from a collaboration between the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia and the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of the Republic of South Korea, implemented with the support of the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA). This program is held in six cities in Indonesia, with Cirebon being one of the cities directly chosen by the South Korean Government as a venue.

The participants came from various sectors, including the West Java Provincial Tourism and Culture Office, the Cirebon City Culture and Tourism Office, high school/vocational school students in Cirebon City, HOI participants from the Cirebon area, the Bee Cinema community, Degradiens Cirebon, as well as cultural activists and creative individuals. Their presence indicates a high public interest in cultural works arising from the regional creator capacity development program.

Q&A session with the speakers

The Head of the General Subdivision of BMK, Neneng Kartiwi, S.S., M.M., stated that this screening is an effort to introduce the works of HOI participants to the public while building initial exposure before the screenings can be widely enjoyed through the platform Indonesiana.TV.

Additionally, the Secretary of the Directorate General of Development, Utilization, and Cultural Guidance of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, Judi Wahjudin, S.S., M.Hum, was present. In his speech, he conveyed that films play a strategic role as valuable assets in the development and utilization of Indonesian culture. According to him, films not only serve as entertainment media but also as effective means to document, introduce, and pass on cultural values to the community. Each screening produced is expected to communicate cultural information in an educational, engaging manner, reaching a wider audience, thereby strengthening public understanding and appreciation of Indonesia's cultural wealth.

It is hoped that this activity can present educational, informative, and inspirational content to the community as part of expanding access to knowledge and culture. Furthermore, this event also serves as a platform to build collaboration between the government, creative communities, cultural practitioners, educational institutions, and the public. Thus, Indonesiana.TV is expected to further strengthen its role as a cultural media that can bridge cultural practitioners with the wider community through digital platforms.

One of the screenings that received special attention from the participants was the documentary film Lakon. This film tells the story of Kei, a teenager growing up in the art of Cirebon Mask Dance. Behind his daily life as a student, Kei spends much of his time helping his mother teach dance at a simple studio. From that small room, he begins to understand more deeply the meaning of culture that has been passed down from generation to generation.

Participants of the House Of Indonesiana Film Screening

The film Lakon is based on the philosophy of five characters in Cirebon Mask Dance, namely Panji, Samba, Rumyang, Tumenggung, and Kelana, which represent the stages of human life. These five characters reflect Kei's journey in understanding his identity, dreams, and role in life.

The enthusiasm of the audience was further heightened as this event also featured speakers who were directly involved in the film production process, including the cast of Lakon. After the film screening, participants engaged in a discussion session. Various questions regarding the creative process, production challenges, story inspiration, and cultural messages intended to be conveyed through the film became topics of interest for the participants, especially the students and film community present.

This watch together event not only serves as a space for appreciation of cultural-themed audiovisual works but also as a meeting place for creators, cultural practitioners, the government, and the public. For those who have not had the opportunity to participate in this event, look forward to the series of film watch together events on Indonesiana.TV in the upcoming cities and don't forget to watch Indonesian cultural shows through the platform Indonesiana.TV!