Courtesy of Netflix
Netflix on Friday announced a slate of upcoming films and TV series from Indonesia. The company says this is its most ambitious outreach in the populous and influential Southeast Asian country.
The seven new titles span sci-fi thriller, comedy and period drama genres and involve big name creators Joho Anwar (“Satan’s Slaves,” “Impetigore”), Timo Tjahjanto (who is also part of the creative duo Mo Brothers) and Kamila Andini (“The Mirror Never Lies,” “Yuni”). They were announced at an in-person event in Jakarta called Waktu Netflix Indonesia (which translates as ‘Time for Netflix Indonesia').
The company said that the slate reflects its “commitment to helping the [Indonesian] industry build compelling content from the country and taking these stories to the world.”
Tjahjanto has signed a multi-project deal with Netflix. His upcoming action-comedy film “The Big 4” will upload by the end of the year. It tells the story of a by-the-book female detective who teams up with a group of down-on-their-luck assassins to investigate her father’s murder.
Anwar will unveil his new sci-fi thriller “Nightmares and Daydreams,” about ordinary people encountering strange phenomena. The series has multiple storylines which intersect with each other and lead to a dramatic denouement.
Showrunner Shanty Harmayn, in collaboration with directors Kamila Andini and Ifa Isfansyah, will release Netflix’s first Indonesian period drama Gadis Kretek, set against the backdrop of the country’s cigarette industry in the 1960s. “Rooted in Indonesia, I believe this beautiful story will resonate with audiences everywhere,” Harmayn said in a prepared statement.
Other films and series announced include: “Dear David,” an unconventional coming-of-age story, created by Muhammad Zaidy and directed by Lucky Kuswandi; quirky sitcom “Klub Kecanduan Mantan” (aka “Ex-Addicts Club”) by Salman Aristo; “Hari Ini Akan Kita Ceritakan Nanti” (aka “Today We’ll Talk About That Day), the latest installment from the “Nanti Kita Cerita Tentang Hari Ini” (One Day We’ll Talk About Today) universe by director Angga Dwimas Sasongko; and “Komedi Kacau” (aka Comedy Chaos) series from writer-director-comic Raditya Dika that presents a rare glimpse into the comedy world; and an unnamed project with writer-director Ernest Prakasa.
“The Indonesian film industry has evolved rapidly in recent years. More and more creators and stories from Indonesia are now being seen and appreciated by audiences and critics around the world,” said Rusli Eddy, Netflix’s content lead in Indonesia.
“Our upcoming slate from Indonesia gives you authentic and unique stories, a representation of our country that is rich with stories and cultures, and brings you high-caliber talent whose significant works have shaped the film industry.”
Previous content from Indonesia carried by Netflix include “Ali & Ratu Ratu Queens” and “Photocopier.”
Variety's Patrick Frater contributed to this post.
https://variety.com/2022/film/asia/netflix-indonesia-joko-anwar-timo-tjahjanto-kamila-andini-1235357975/#recipient_hashed=27d3e1decbdd57f8473998652dd3259302a49d011cd4c3c98101f80952412574
