Did you know that some Indonesian movies are banned in Indonesia itself? There are many reasons why this happens, but mostly because the story of the movie is considered controversial.
Want to know what Indonesian movies are? Let’s take a look at the following review!
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Indonesian Movies that were Banned from Screening
1. Lady Terminator
Lady Terminator tells the legend of the Queen of the South Coast who comes to life in the body of a mysterious woman with supernatural powers. This woman, who later becomes Lady Terminator, uses her powers to chase and kill the men she encounters.
When an American anthropologist named Tania (Barbara Anne Constable) comes to Indonesia for field studies, she accidentally gets involved in a battle against Lady Terminator.
Because it contains adult material, this movie can only be shown abroad and cannot be shown domestically.
The movie Lady Terminator that came out in 1989 became very famous. The movie was made by the famous Indonesian director, H. Tjut Djalil. The main cast of the movie includes Barbara Anne Constable, Christopher J. Hart, Claudia Angelique Rademaker, and Joseph P. McGlynn.
2. Takut: Faces of Fear
Takut: Faces of Fear is a horror anthology consisting of six short films by various directors. The movie features several famous actors such as Marcella Zalianty, Lukman Sardi, Dinna Olivia, Shanty, Fauzi Baadila, and many more.
Faces of Fear was first shown in 2008, but not in theaters, but in a film festival called the Indonesia International Fantastic Film Festival or INAFFF.
In this movie, there are various stories presented, including the initial story of a man named Bayu who accidentally took the life of his girlfriend’s child.
Bayu has even more trouble when he tries to dispose of the body. Then, we get to see the different stories in this movie.
This film did not receive permission to screen in theaters because it could cause fear and trauma to the audience. This is natural because this movie presents content that is full of violence.
3. Something in the Way
Something in the Way tells the story of Ahmad, a man who lives in Jakarta and feels lonely and bored.
He is a taxi driver who has a religious reputation. However, everything changes when he meets Kinar, a young woman who works in the night industry.
Kinar was a free-spirited woman who inspired Ahmad to look at his life with a new perspective.
However, Ahmad and Kinar’s relationship was not easy, especially since Ahmad had to face opposition from his family and a deep inner conflict.
Both must face various obstacles and challenges in their quest to find love and meaning in their lives. The movie was released in 2013 and is directed by Teddy Soeriaatmaja.
Several famous actors, such as Reza Rahadian, Ratu Felisha, Verdi Solaiman, and Helsi Herlinda, played the lead roles in this movie.
Unfortunately, this movie can only be shown abroad. Due to its controversial story about nightlife, the movie was banned in Indonesia despite its interesting potential.
4. Kucumbu Tubuh Indahku
If we look at the title, we can already predict that this movie will be controversial. Garin Nugroho, a famous director in Indonesia, directed this movie. Some of the famous actors involved in this movie include Muhammad Khan, Raditya Evandra, and Sujiwo Tejo.
Kucumbu Tubuh Indahku tells the journey of Juno, a boy who grows up in a traditional Javanese community and has an interest in dance.
However, Juno’s ambition to pursue her hobby was at odds with the views and expectations of those around her. Juno had to face many obstacles and prejudices because of her desire to dance.
Her internal battle with gender identity is also part of Juno’s journey. Along the way, Juno meets characters who are instrumental in guiding and inspiring her to follow her dreams.
The movie depicts an individual’s struggle to achieve freedom in self-expression. Although it was released in theaters, Kucumbu Tubuh Indahku was eventually dropped from theaters due to rejection.
5. The Look of Silence
The Look of Silence is a documentary film that came out in 2014. The film is a continuation of Joshua Oppenheimer’s previous documentary, The Act of Killing (2012). The Look of Silence has a different approach from its predecessor, The Act of Killing.
The Look of Silence tells the story of Adi Rukun’s journey to find the truth about his brother’s mass murder during Indonesia’s New Order era.
Adi conducted interviews with the surviving perpetrators of the murder, including those responsible for his brother’s death.
On this journey, Adi faced many obstacles and dangers in his quest to uncover the truth and seek justice.
He also seeks to understand how this dark history affects the lives of Indonesians today.
The Look of Silence received critical acclaim and won several international awards. However, the movie was banned in Indonesia because many found it too sensitive.
6. The Act of Killing
Like The Look of Silence, this movie is directed by Joshua Oppenheimer.
The Act of Killing also presents an overview of the mass killings that took place in Indonesia in 1965-1966, involving the government and militia members.
The film’s approach is unique in that the killers reenact their murder scenes in the style of their favorite movie genres, such as gangster movies or musicals.
It provides a unique perspective on the psychology and stories of criminals. The Act of Killing follows Joshua Oppenheimer’s journey as he comes into contact with several former militia members involved in the Indonesian massacres.
Oppenheimer asked them to recreate their murder scenes using various movie genres that they liked. In this process, the perpetrators of the killings speak honestly about their actions and their impact on society.
They showed no great remorse for their actions, and were even proud of their role in the event.
The movie not only showcases the atrocities of the massacre itself, but also highlights how the crime still impacts Indonesian society today. Like The Look of Silence, this movie was also banned in Indonesia due to its controversial story.
7. Pocong (2006)
A lot of pocong movies have been released, but one of the most interesting and controversial is this movie.
The movie is directed by Rudy Soedjarwo with Monty Tiwa as the scriptwriter. Besides Shally Tria Amanda, the movie also features Ronaldi Kansil and Eddie Karsito.
Unfortunately, the movies was banned in Indonesia because it contained elements that could offend ethnicity, religion, race, and culture.
Yes, the movie depicts the chaos of 1998. Actually, the movie was supposed to be released in 2006, but because it was banned by LSF, the filmmakers then made a sequel in the same year with the title Pocong 2.
Interestingly, Pocong 2 is the first movie in Indonesian history to release a sequel without the first movie being available to watch.
In 2019, Pocong the Origin was considered a new version of the previously banned movie Pocong.
In this movie, the story of the previously banned 1998 riots is shown in a different way. The Pocong franchise is indeed a bit confusing when discussed.
These are some of the Indonesian movies that are considered controversial and thus banned from theaters. Although these films have interesting storylines, if they continue to air in theaters, it can cause an inevitable uproar.
