The Indonesian horror film industry has lately been attracting international attention. It did so with a Guinness World Record for the film industry least willing to support horror. This recognition highlights the genre’s significant impact on the country’s cinematic landscape, which has been deeply influenced by rich urban legends and folklore. In 2022, Indonesian cinemas generated an impressive gross revenue of USD 136 million, showcasing the genre’s popularity and its role in revitalizing the industry post-pandemic.
The secret, I’ve learned, behind the success of Indonesian horror films are the country’s one-of-a-kind cultural narratives. Brimming with lore and folklore, urban legends and local traditions, these films tap into shared experiences that feel intimately close. Director Nanang Istiabudi remarked on this trend, stating, “It launched a new wave of more realistic films, based on real events.” This change in the landscape has opened the doors for filmmakers to explore fascinating, unique stories that resonate with a diverse audience. They feed the imaginations of the viewers.
Our team member and cinephile Ajeng Putri shared about her love for these films on virtual panel. She feels urban legend-based stories are more relatable and thrilling. This feeling is symptomatic of a much wider trend amongst audiences wanting to be reassured by the same stories in a quest for narratives that mirror their cultural lineage.
New directors like Joko Anwar are making the story behind the film a reality. They are making smart, high-quality, independent horror films that engage a young audience. These storytellers are telling stories through new lenses and modalities. No wonder it’s the first time their work is garnering so much attention both back home and from audiences across the globe.
Ismail Basbeth, a 39-year-old filmmaker from Yogyakarta known for infusing social issues in his movies, highlighted how distinct Indonesian horror films are. He stated, “Indonesian films are successful abroad because they are unique, exotic, and unimaginable.” That uniqueness stems from fusing regional folklore with the supernatural. Perhaps the most famous of such spirits from Indonesia is that of the Pocong —a ghost wrapped in a shroud who typically haunts tales of horror.
As the genre continues to prosper, numbers show that its influence is increasingly becoming unstoppable within the film landscape. This has meant that according to the Indonesian Film Board (BPI), horror films made up 60 percent of the 258 domestic productions in 2024. Between 1990 and 2000, Sinematek Indonesia only registered 37 horror films. This was just a sliver of the total 456 new musicals during that ten-year period. This 400 percent growth represents a larger cultural phenomenon, one in which horror is becoming more widely accepted as a go-to genre.
The industry’s resurgence is equally evident in its economic impact. PwC Indonesia projection that the cinema industry added tens of trillions of rupiah to Indonesia’s gross national product last year. With projections indicating an annual growth rate of over six percent until 2027, the future appears promising for Indonesian filmmakers.
No wonder the film “KKN di Desa Penari,” released in 2022, with its 10-million ticket sale, is a perfect example of this booming phenomenon. Its success went a long way toward pulling the industry out of its prolonged Covid-19 pandemic-led depression. This historical achievement reflects both the vibrancy and flexibility of Indonesian cinema.
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