Indonesian production firm is setting its sights on becoming a diverse studio operation with the injection of high-profile management and the acquisition of a significant new animated series “Nussa.”
It will also display its credentials at next month’s Busan International Film Festival where two of its feature films are selected. Its “24 Hours with Gaspar,” directed by Yosep Anggi Noen, will compete for the Kim Jiseok Award. Meanwhile, the much-anticipated blockbuster “Ali Topan” will make its world premiere at the festival.
Herry Salim, the former Indonesia country manager for Walt Disney, has been appointed group president & CEO of Visinema Studios, the business unit that acquired “Nussa.” Additionally, tech entrepreneur Aldi Haryopratomo has joined the group’s board of commissioners. He is the former CEO of fintech firm GoPay and is a current board member of HaloDoc, KitaBisa, and E-fishery.
“Our aim isn’t just to produce films but to impact society through the universal language of storytelling. We are investing in creating, acquiring and nurturing the best of Indonesian stories and Ips,” said Angga Sasongko, CEO and founder of Visinema Group. “Our bolstered leadership and key projects like ‘Nussa’ are a testament to our broader, more ambitious goals to become the center of excellence in every form of storytelling in Indonesia.”
Visinema has over 35 movie credits, including 2021’s “Nussa: The Movie” and “One Day We’ll Talk about Today.” And it was previously an investor in “Missing Home,” Indonesia’s 2022 Academy Awards submission.
The company has already begun widening its operational gamut beyond film, and estimates its intellectual property portfolio to be worth some $30 million. It is now engaged in content development through Visinema Content and Visinema Animation. It is also in digital distribution through Bioskop Online, which claims 11 million unique users.
Visinema Studio is increasing its focus on kids and family content, with “Domikado” and children’s animation “Nussa” and the upcoming release of animated feature “Jumbo.”
Indonesia will be a country of focus at Busan this year. It has also been noted as one of Asia’s fastest-growing – and largest – development markets. Singapore-based consultancy firm Media Partners Asia recently calculated that Indonesia saw a 13% increase in content investment in 2022, reaching $979 million.
“Indonesia is poised to be a global entertainment hub. The acquisition of ‘Nussa’ is just the beginning of our ambitious journey to shape the future of storytelling. This will be done through diversifying and offering rich, multi-platform entertainment experiences to our audience,” said Salim.
“Korean films began to attract international attention twenty years ago when Park Chan-wook’s ‘Oldboy’ won the Grand Prix at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival. Today, Korean companies are not just leaders in the film industry, the country has built the talent, distribution, funding, and IP monetization for Korean-made stories. Indonesia today is on the cusp of a similar trajectory,” said Haryopratomo. “I joined Visinema not just because the team makes award winning films, but because we want to build the infrastructure and ecosystem needed so Indonesia can also be a global storytelling hub.”
