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Local horror film industry thrills, scandalizes with recent releases
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‘Badarawuhi di Desa Penari’, a prequel to 2022 Indonesian folk-horror film ‘KKN di Desa Penari’, premiered in Indonesian theaters during Idul Fitri in April 2024. (Courtesy of MD Pictures/-)
R
ecent local horror film releases have been driving conversation across the country, raking in millions of ticket sales in a flash and strengthening the horror film industry’s hold on the nation.
Indonesian horror films have long been a popular mainstay in the country, but the ones currently showing in theaters point to new heights in quality and reception, both domestically and internationally.
The two biggest horror titles in theaters now are Badarawuhi di Desa Penari (Dancing Village: The Curse Begins), a prequel to 2022 giga-hit KKN di Desa Penari, and Siksa Kubur (Grave Torture), the latest offering from famed auteur Joko Anwar.
Released at the same time on April 11, during Idul Fitri, both films had sold more than 2 million tickets at theaters as of Thursday, according to local box office analyst Cinepoint.
Both movies have their own pulling power. Badarawuhi is the prequel to Indonesia’s highest-grossing film ever, as KKN di Desa Penari enjoyed more than 10 million ticket sales in 2022. The prequel also involved prominent horror-action director Kimo Stamboel and was the first film in Southeast Asia to be shot in high-resolution IMAX format.
Read also: 'Badarawuhi di Desa Penari' set to put Indonesian horror on global map
Meanwhile, Joko’s Siksa Kubur not only has the revered filmmaker’s stamp but was also developed from his famous 2012 short film of the same name.
