Blitz Megaplex Opens

HOLLYWOOD -- The Indonesian exhibition market has entered the multiplex era.

Country may be the world's fourth-largest in terms of population and surface area, but it got its first modern multiplex only last month when a nine-screen, 2,200-seat complex opened in Bandung.

Country's exhibition landscape has historically been dominated by a single operator of smaller "cineplexes."

Designed and built by Blitz Megaplex, the theater had a slow opening session, with only 900 admissions on its first day Oct. 21. But by this past Monday it was attracting more than 3,000 a day.

The plex is playing a mix of Hollywood and local films that Blitz hopes will become a typical blend. Playing in the opening frame are "The Departed," "WTC," "The Devil Wears Prada" and "Grudge 2" plus local horror hit "Kuntilanak" and drama "Denias." Lineup is rounded off with Hong Kong action drama "House of Fury" and triad actioner "Election 2."

Bandung hardtop is the first of four that will open in the coming two years. Next up is an 11-screener in downtown Jakarta, which opens Dec. 8.

Blitz is owned and controlled by Indonesian businessmen Ananda Siregar and David Hilman, with further investment from U.S. private equity sources.

In order to secure enough fresh titles in a country that typically releases only 250 pics a year, company has also positioned itself as a distributor. In recent weeks it has bought a raft of Korean genre titles from suppliers including CJ Entertainment, MK Pictures, iHQ and Cineclick Asia.

In Cannes, acquisitions of international pictures included Oscar hopeful "The Queen" and "The Walker" from Pathe, "Before the Devil Knows You Are Dead" from Capitol and "Mutant Chronicles" from Voltage Pictures.

At AFM it has taken this process a step further and begun negotiations with the larger U.S. independent sales agents.