The fact that Joko Anwar was going to become a great director became obvious from the beginning, with his debut incorporating all those elements that make his cinema unique, and particularly the extremely intelligent, pointy, and ironic sense of humor.
Joni works as a film-reel deliveryman in Jakarta, since, as Anwar eloquently explains, the distributors buy one copy of each film (made from 5-6 reels) for every two screening rooms, thus the need of people who take the reels from one cinema to another during the screenings. One day, while waiting for his next reel, he stumbles upon a gorgeous girl, who is waiting in line for a movie with her high-maintenance (to say the least) boyfriend, Otto. Joni cannot help but notice her, and the same applies to her, leading to a discussion that ends up with her promising to give him her name if he manages to deliver the reels in time.
Joni works as a film-reel deliveryman in Jakarta, since, as Anwar eloquently explains, the distributors buy one copy of each film (made from 5-6 reels) for every two screening rooms, thus the need of people who take the reels from one cinema to another during the screenings. One day, while waiting for his next reel, he stumbles upon a gorgeous girl, who is waiting in line for a movie with her high-maintenance (to say the least) boyfriend, Otto. Joni cannot help but notice her, and the same applies to her, leading to a discussion that ends up with her promising to give him her name if he manages to deliver the reels in time.
- 12/10/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
“Forbidden Door” was the winner of the Best of Puchon Award at the 2009 Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival, it was screened in festivals in the UK, Canada, Spain, Netherlands, USA, etc and gained favorable reviews from Time magazine and Hollywood Reporter among others. The script is adapted from the homonymous novel by Sekar Ayu Asmar.
In distinct noir fashion, Gambir is a famous sculptor, who exclusively creates black statues of pregnant women. He appears to have it all, money, fame, a beautiful wife, Talyda, and two brotherly friends, Rio and Dandung,who are absolutely loyal. The sole thing that is missing is a child, and his mother is constantly nagging him to try harder to produce one. While everything in his life seem normal, as the film progresses, strange things start happening and a few mysteries are revealed.
What is concealed inside the belly of his statues? Who is sending him messages begging for help?...
In distinct noir fashion, Gambir is a famous sculptor, who exclusively creates black statues of pregnant women. He appears to have it all, money, fame, a beautiful wife, Talyda, and two brotherly friends, Rio and Dandung,who are absolutely loyal. The sole thing that is missing is a child, and his mother is constantly nagging him to try harder to produce one. While everything in his life seem normal, as the film progresses, strange things start happening and a few mysteries are revealed.
What is concealed inside the belly of his statues? Who is sending him messages begging for help?...
- 8/24/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Shot in only 28 days, a magnificent accomplishment when one considers the technical quality of the film, Joko Anwar’s second film was a great prelude of what was about to follow. “Kala” was a big success, both locally and internationally. Sight & Sound picked the film as one of the year’s best and also named Anwar as one of the smartest filmmakers in Asia. The film was screened in numerous film festivals and won a Jury Prize at the New York Asian Film Festival.
The story takes place in an unnamed country, where corruption of the politicians and the continuously growing power of the mafia have led to social turmoil. In this, highly unsteady setting, Eros, a police detective is investigating a case where five men were burned to death by a mob. Janus is a narcoleptic reporter who also investigates the same case and tries to interview the wife of one of the victims.
The story takes place in an unnamed country, where corruption of the politicians and the continuously growing power of the mafia have led to social turmoil. In this, highly unsteady setting, Eros, a police detective is investigating a case where five men were burned to death by a mob. Janus is a narcoleptic reporter who also investigates the same case and tries to interview the wife of one of the victims.
- 1/1/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Shot in only 28 days, a magnificent accomplishment when one considers the technical quality of the film, Joko Anwar’s second film was a great prelude of what was about to follow. “Kala” was a big success, both locally and internationally. Sight & Sound picked the film as one of the year’s best and also named Anwar as one of the smartest filmmakers in Asia. The film was screened in numerous film festivals and won a Jury Prize at the New York Asian Film Festival.
The story takes place in an unnamed country, where corruption of the politicians and the continuously growing power of the mafia have led to social turmoil. In this, highly unsteady setting, Eros, a police detective is investigating a case where five men were burned to death by a mob. Janus is a narcoleptic reporter who also investigates the same case and tries to interview the wife of one of the victims.
The story takes place in an unnamed country, where corruption of the politicians and the continuously growing power of the mafia have led to social turmoil. In this, highly unsteady setting, Eros, a police detective is investigating a case where five men were burned to death by a mob. Janus is a narcoleptic reporter who also investigates the same case and tries to interview the wife of one of the victims.
- 11/4/2018
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Nominations for the 6th annual Asian Film Awards were announced in Hong Kong today:
Best Film
A Separation (Iran) Postcard (Japan) The Flowers of War (Mainland China) Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (Hong Kong/Mainland China) Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale (Taiwan) You Don’t Get Life a Second Time (India)
Best Director
Asghar Farhadi, A Separation Teddy Soeriaatmadja, Lovely Man Sono Sion, Guilty of Romance Tsui Hark, Flying Swords of Dragon Gate Wei Te-sheng, Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale Zhang Yimou, The Flowers of War
Best Actor
Chen Kun, Flying Swords of Dragon Gate Donny Damara, Lovely Man Andy Lau, A Simple Life Park Hae Il, War of the Arrows Yakusho Koji, Chronicle of My Mother
Best Actress
Vidya Balan, The Dirty Picture Michelle Chen, You Are the Apple of My Eye Eugene Domingo, The Woman in the Septic Tank Leila Hatami, A Separation Deanie Ip,...
Best Film
A Separation (Iran) Postcard (Japan) The Flowers of War (Mainland China) Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (Hong Kong/Mainland China) Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale (Taiwan) You Don’t Get Life a Second Time (India)
Best Director
Asghar Farhadi, A Separation Teddy Soeriaatmadja, Lovely Man Sono Sion, Guilty of Romance Tsui Hark, Flying Swords of Dragon Gate Wei Te-sheng, Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale Zhang Yimou, The Flowers of War
Best Actor
Chen Kun, Flying Swords of Dragon Gate Donny Damara, Lovely Man Andy Lau, A Simple Life Park Hae Il, War of the Arrows Yakusho Koji, Chronicle of My Mother
Best Actress
Vidya Balan, The Dirty Picture Michelle Chen, You Are the Apple of My Eye Eugene Domingo, The Woman in the Septic Tank Leila Hatami, A Separation Deanie Ip,...
- 1/18/2012
- MUBI
The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate and the other nominations for the 2012 Asian Film Awards have been announced. The 6th Annual Asian Film Awards was presented by the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (Hkiffs) “to recognize excellence of film professionals in the film industries of Asian cinema.” This year’s award ceremony will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on March 19, 2012.
The full listing of the 2012 Asian Film Awards nominations have been announced.
Best Film
A Separation (Iran)
Postcard (Japan)
The Flowers of War (Mainland China)
Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (Hong Kong/Mainland China)
Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale (Taiwan)
You Don’t Get Life a Second Time (India)
Best Director
Asghar Farhadi, A Separation
Teddy Soeriaatmadja, Lovely Man
Sono Sion, Guilty of Romance
Tsui Hark, Flying Swords of Dragon Gate
Wei Te-sheng, Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale
Zhang Yimou, The...
The full listing of the 2012 Asian Film Awards nominations have been announced.
Best Film
A Separation (Iran)
Postcard (Japan)
The Flowers of War (Mainland China)
Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (Hong Kong/Mainland China)
Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale (Taiwan)
You Don’t Get Life a Second Time (India)
Best Director
Asghar Farhadi, A Separation
Teddy Soeriaatmadja, Lovely Man
Sono Sion, Guilty of Romance
Tsui Hark, Flying Swords of Dragon Gate
Wei Te-sheng, Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale
Zhang Yimou, The...
- 1/18/2012
- by filmbook
- Film-Book
Puchon International Film Festival
BUCHEON, South Korea -- Kala, PiFan's closing film by writer-director Joko Anwar was financed by Jakarta-based Indian company MD Pictures to be a commercial schlock horror that's the staple of Indonesian audiences. Instead, Anwar delivered a sophisticated noir whodunit in homage to Fritz Lang's "M." The supernatural elements, which can be corny or camp depending on audience taste, only start to grate two-thirds into the film. By then, one is so carried away by the cool packaging as to grant some suspension of belief.
Since its presentation at Cannes market, Kala has already received invitations to several well-known Asian festivals, including Bangkok International Film Festival, Osian's Cinefan Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema in New Delhi, and Golden Horse Film Festival in Taipei. There is theatrical release potential in nearby Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia and Singapore.
Joko Anwar has been rewriting the formulas of mainstream Indonesian cinema since his directorial debut "Joni's Promise" and through his screenplays for Nia Dinata's "Arisan!" and in a less conspicuous way for Lance's Jakarta Undercover. In Kala, he fuses contemporary political allegory with a Javanese myth, remolds it into a Messianic message with Apocalyptic overtones, and sets it in an unspecific time and place that could be Prague or Paris anytime from the 1930s. His two male leads are not the typical heroes that appear on Indonesian screen. Not only do they have wickedly evocative names like Janus and Eros, they are narcoleptic and gay respectively.
From the Continental sets (authentic Dutch colonial buildings shot in Java), to the sensuous cinematography; from the songs with a Brit-pop sound, to the mellow-as-mocha lighting, right down to the designer creases of the male leads' rolled up shirts, Kala is an impressive feat of mood and style. Kudos for D.O.P. Ipung Rahmat Syaiful, who worked with some of Indonesia's most-acclaimed directors (Riri Riza, Nia Dinata, Joko Anwar on "Joni's Promise"). He enhanced the hard-boiled sensibility by maintaining a consistent nocturnal tone even in indoor and daytime scenes.
Like in most noir films, an elaborate plot unfolds to reveal that nothing is what is seems. Reporter Janus (Fachri Albar) doing a follow-up on an incident where five men are torched by an angry mob, gets hold of some vital clue about a legendary treasure. Soon, people start dropping dead left, right and center wherever he goes. Also on the case is a police detective Eros (Ario Bayu), who is haunted by apparitions of a monster from Javanese mythology. The police, the politicians, and even the current president seem to have a hand in this. All leads point to the Temple of the Seven Steps ...
The ending is somewhat of a letdown, as a scene-by-scene re-enactment explains everything leaving no room to the imagination. The final climax looks as if it is a different film directed by someone else -- a parody of the TV series Xena or The Fellowship of the Ring -- perhaps an expedient attempt to placate the mass audience, the authorities or the investors?
KALA
MD Pictures
Sales Agent: MD Jakarta
Credits:
Screenwriter-director: Joko Anwar
Producers: Manoj Punjabi, Dhamoo Punjabi
Executive producer: Shania Punjabi
Director of photography: Ipung Rahmat Syaiful
Production designer: Wencislaus
Music: Aghi Narottama, Zeke Khaselli
Co-producer: Karan Mahtani
Costume designer: Tania Soeprapto, Isabelle Patrice
Editor: Wawan I. Wibowo.
Cast:
Janus: Fachri Albar
Eros: Ario Bayu
Ranti: Farani
Sari: Shanty
Bandi: Tipi Jabrik
Running time -- 104 minutes
No MPAA rating...
BUCHEON, South Korea -- Kala, PiFan's closing film by writer-director Joko Anwar was financed by Jakarta-based Indian company MD Pictures to be a commercial schlock horror that's the staple of Indonesian audiences. Instead, Anwar delivered a sophisticated noir whodunit in homage to Fritz Lang's "M." The supernatural elements, which can be corny or camp depending on audience taste, only start to grate two-thirds into the film. By then, one is so carried away by the cool packaging as to grant some suspension of belief.
Since its presentation at Cannes market, Kala has already received invitations to several well-known Asian festivals, including Bangkok International Film Festival, Osian's Cinefan Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema in New Delhi, and Golden Horse Film Festival in Taipei. There is theatrical release potential in nearby Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia and Singapore.
Joko Anwar has been rewriting the formulas of mainstream Indonesian cinema since his directorial debut "Joni's Promise" and through his screenplays for Nia Dinata's "Arisan!" and in a less conspicuous way for Lance's Jakarta Undercover. In Kala, he fuses contemporary political allegory with a Javanese myth, remolds it into a Messianic message with Apocalyptic overtones, and sets it in an unspecific time and place that could be Prague or Paris anytime from the 1930s. His two male leads are not the typical heroes that appear on Indonesian screen. Not only do they have wickedly evocative names like Janus and Eros, they are narcoleptic and gay respectively.
From the Continental sets (authentic Dutch colonial buildings shot in Java), to the sensuous cinematography; from the songs with a Brit-pop sound, to the mellow-as-mocha lighting, right down to the designer creases of the male leads' rolled up shirts, Kala is an impressive feat of mood and style. Kudos for D.O.P. Ipung Rahmat Syaiful, who worked with some of Indonesia's most-acclaimed directors (Riri Riza, Nia Dinata, Joko Anwar on "Joni's Promise"). He enhanced the hard-boiled sensibility by maintaining a consistent nocturnal tone even in indoor and daytime scenes.
Like in most noir films, an elaborate plot unfolds to reveal that nothing is what is seems. Reporter Janus (Fachri Albar) doing a follow-up on an incident where five men are torched by an angry mob, gets hold of some vital clue about a legendary treasure. Soon, people start dropping dead left, right and center wherever he goes. Also on the case is a police detective Eros (Ario Bayu), who is haunted by apparitions of a monster from Javanese mythology. The police, the politicians, and even the current president seem to have a hand in this. All leads point to the Temple of the Seven Steps ...
The ending is somewhat of a letdown, as a scene-by-scene re-enactment explains everything leaving no room to the imagination. The final climax looks as if it is a different film directed by someone else -- a parody of the TV series Xena or The Fellowship of the Ring -- perhaps an expedient attempt to placate the mass audience, the authorities or the investors?
KALA
MD Pictures
Sales Agent: MD Jakarta
Credits:
Screenwriter-director: Joko Anwar
Producers: Manoj Punjabi, Dhamoo Punjabi
Executive producer: Shania Punjabi
Director of photography: Ipung Rahmat Syaiful
Production designer: Wencislaus
Music: Aghi Narottama, Zeke Khaselli
Co-producer: Karan Mahtani
Costume designer: Tania Soeprapto, Isabelle Patrice
Editor: Wawan I. Wibowo.
Cast:
Janus: Fachri Albar
Eros: Ario Bayu
Ranti: Farani
Sari: Shanty
Bandi: Tipi Jabrik
Running time -- 104 minutes
No MPAA rating...
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