Through this festival, we aim to convince villagers that the creative economy can grow anywhere..Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration has launched the 2025 Village Film Festival to spur the growth of the creative economy in rural areas across Indonesia.
"We envision the Village Film Festival as a platform to help villages harness their creative economic potential in the digital era," said the ministry’s Director General for Development of Disadvantaged Regions, Samsul Widodo.
Speaking during the festival’s launch, livestreamed on the ministry’s YouTube channel on Monday, Widodo said the event is expected to open opportunities for new rural talents, directors, and filmmakers to emerge.
"We might even find village heads who aspire to become film directors," he quipped.
Widodo explained that the festival serves as a platform for expression, initiated through proposals from rural leaders and community figures who have been active in producing short films highlighting social issues and local wisdom.
He reiterated that the Village Film Festival aims to help rural residents showcase their creative ideas through filmmaking, stressing the government’s confidence in villages’ ability to produce cinematic works using simple technology and equipment.
According to Widodo, the Villages Ministry decided to organize the festival after observing that village-based filmmaking can create extensive economic value chains, benefiting those engaged in documentation, equipment rental, culinary, and tourism businesses.
"Through this festival, we aim to convince villagers that the creative economy can grow anywhere. It can thrive not only in big cities but also in villages rich in creativity," he stated
The Village Film Festival 2025 will run through January next year, featuring several stages, including movie submission, webinars, administrative and substantive selection, judging, finalist announcements, and awarding.
Winners will receive trophies, certificates, and electronic equipment to support their future creative works at an awarding ceremony scheduled for January 15, coinciding with National Village Day, in Boyolali District, Central Java.
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Translator: Tri M, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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