Ministry of Culture Opens a Film Heroism Competition, Sineas Invited to Raise the History of 1945-1950

Fadli Zon said films have a great power to revive history. (IST)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Culture officially opened the 2026 Indonesian Hero Narrative Film Production Competition to encourage the birth of films that raise the struggle to defend Indonesian independence in the period 1945-1950.

The program, which was launched at the Jakarta Culture Ministry, Thursday (9/7), opened up opportunities for production houses, film companies, film communities, and Indonesian filmmakers to produce works that combine cinematic creativity with historical accuracy.

Minister of Culture Fadli Zon said that films have a great power to revive history as well as become an effective educational medium for the community, especially the younger generation.

"Film is a cultural product that has a very good platform to present historical education as well as instill the values of struggle, sacrifice, and nationality," he said.

According to Fadli, the period 1945-1950 is an important phase in the journey of the Republic of Indonesia. In addition to armed warfare, that period was also colored by diplomatic, economic, press, and art and culture movements that have not been widely brought to the big screen.

Therefore, the government opens space for filmmakers to present various new perspectives while still based on historical research and the accompaniment of historians.

"We want to bring the past to the present so that it remains relevant. Creativity is open, but the historical context must be maintained," he said.

The Director of Film, Music, and Arts of the Ministry of Culture, Irini Dewi Wanti, said all proposals would go through administrative selection, jury board assessment, presentation or pitching, project development, to the production process and monitoring.

In addition to obtaining funding support, the selected participants will also receive assistance in refining the scenario, consulting with historians and cultural figures, and guidance from film practitioners.

The competition is open in two categories, namely feature films with a minimum duration of 75 minutes and short films with a duration of 15 to 30 minutes.

Feature films give the opportunity to explore characters and the dynamics of the struggle to defend independence. Meanwhile, short films are directed to highlight a number of important events, including the Rengasdengklok Incident, the Proclamation of Independence, the Battle of Surabaya on November 10, the Dutch Military Aggression, General Soedirman's Guerrilla, the Emergency Government of the Republic of Indonesia (PDRI), to the struggle for diplomacy and economy at the beginning of the republic.

Registration is open from July 10 to August 10, 2026. Complete information and technical instructions can be accessed through the filmkepahlawanan.id page.

Through this program, the Ministry of Culture hopes that works of cinema will be born that are able to revive the narrative of Indonesian heroism with a relevant, inspiring approach, as well as based on historical facts.