Cultural Diplomacy, Film Becomes The Spearhead Opening Various Opportunities

JAKARTA - The national film leader and chairman of the Indonesian Film Company Association (PPFI) Deddy Mizwar described the powerful cultural diplomacy through films that were able to open up various opportunities.

Speaking in a press statement at the "Arts Lumiere Indonesia Festival (ALIF): Muslim World Movie Screening 2025" which will be held in Jakarta on September 19-21, Deddy gave an example of how devastating the impact of cultural diplomacy through films in South Korea and the United States.

He explained that cultural diplomacy is one of the very good efforts to show the position of a country with its vision.

He gave an example of South Korea with its Korean films and dramas, Japan with extraordinary global anime, to Islamic countries such as Iran and Turkey.

"We'll talk about anything, the cellphone remembers Samsung, the car remembers Hyundai, ginseng remember Korea, Korean skincare, how effective cultural diplomacy affects people's mindset," explained Deddy Mizwar at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tuesday, September 16.

He assessed that Korea used film and cultural diplomacy, so that the industry advanced.

"How penetration of a film affects our mindset. They use it," he explained.

Dedddy further explained, that is why the United States has used films as a means of cultural diplomacy.

"The film is a tool to introduce the United States, the mindset of the United States, so Indonesians think they want to become Americans, want the American style, so that United States products, cars, come in extraordinary," he explained.

According to him, films are only a small part of the spearhead to influence human mindset in various countries to create admiration for the United States.

"I bought a luxury car because of American films, buying luxury watches maybe because I watched American films," he said.

"(The film) is the spearhead that creates various open opportunities," he said.

"We have also prevented American films from entering Indonesia. What do they say, if American films are blocked from entering Indonesia, don't expect Indonesian wood and textiles to enter America," said Deddy.

Deddy assessed that the international film festival held by the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs was very important, a step that deserves appreciation and appreciation.

"Hopefully it doesn't stop just once, but it continues to be implemented, thus creating various other perspectives that we can take as positive things in the future," hoped Deddy.