Indonesian filmmaker Kimo Stamboel (Macabre, Headshot, The Queen of Black Magic) is back in the director’s chair for MD Pictures’ Badarawuhi Di Desa Penari (aka Dancing Village: The Curse Begins), a prequel to the Indonesian box office hit Kkn Curse Of The Dancing Village. Lionsgate brings the film to U.S. theaters on April 26.
While you wait, whet your appetite for gruesome horror with a gnarly exclusive clip from Dancing Village: The Curse Begins below, along with a gallery of bloody exclusive images.
In the horror prequel, “A shaman instructs Mila to return a mystical bracelet, the Kawaturih, to the ‘Dancing Village,’ a remote site on the easternmost tip of Java Island. Joined by her cousin, Yuda, and his friends Jito and Arya, Mila arrives on the island only to discover that the village elder has passed away, and that the new guardian, Mbah Buyut, isn’t present.
“Various...
While you wait, whet your appetite for gruesome horror with a gnarly exclusive clip from Dancing Village: The Curse Begins below, along with a gallery of bloody exclusive images.
In the horror prequel, “A shaman instructs Mila to return a mystical bracelet, the Kawaturih, to the ‘Dancing Village,’ a remote site on the easternmost tip of Java Island. Joined by her cousin, Yuda, and his friends Jito and Arya, Mila arrives on the island only to discover that the village elder has passed away, and that the new guardian, Mbah Buyut, isn’t present.
“Various...
- 4/24/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Indonesian filmmaker Kimo Stamboel (Macabre, Headshot, The Queen of Black Magic) is back in the director’s chair for MD Pictures’ Badarawuhi Di Desa Penari (aka Dancing Village: The Curse Begins). A new trailer for the Kkn Curse Of The Dancing Village Indonesian horror prequel gets creepy.
Lionsgate releases Dancing Village: The Curse Begins in select theaters on April 26, 2024.
In the horror prequel, “a shaman instructs Mila to return a mystical bracelet, the Kawaturih, to the ‘Dancing Village,’ a remote site on the easternmost tip of Java Island. Joined by her cousin, Yuda, and his friends Jito and Arya, Mila arrives on the island only to discover that the village elder has passed away, and that the new guardian, Mbah Buyut, isn’t present. Various strange and eerie events occur while awaiting Mbah Buyut’s return, including Mila being visited by Badarawuhi, a mysterious, mythical being who rules the village.
Lionsgate releases Dancing Village: The Curse Begins in select theaters on April 26, 2024.
In the horror prequel, “a shaman instructs Mila to return a mystical bracelet, the Kawaturih, to the ‘Dancing Village,’ a remote site on the easternmost tip of Java Island. Joined by her cousin, Yuda, and his friends Jito and Arya, Mila arrives on the island only to discover that the village elder has passed away, and that the new guardian, Mbah Buyut, isn’t present. Various strange and eerie events occur while awaiting Mbah Buyut’s return, including Mila being visited by Badarawuhi, a mysterious, mythical being who rules the village.
- 4/15/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Indonesian filmmaker Kimo Stamboel (Macabre, Headshot, The Queen of Black Magic) is back in the director’s chair for MD Pictures’ Badarawuhi Di Desa Penari (aka Dancing Village: The Curse Begins), a prequel to the record-breaking hit Kkn Curse Of The Dancing Village that will be the first production in Southeast Asia to be filmed with IMAX-certified digital cameras.
Ahead of the film’s wide IMAX release across Indonesia, which begins April 10, Deadline has announced this morning that Lionsgate has scooped up the domestic rights.
“This collaboration represents a leap forward for the Indonesian movie industry on the global stage. We believe that entertainment transcends language and cultural barriers, and we are confident that through this partnership we will be able to showcase the richness of Indonesian culture to the American audience and beyond,” said Manoj Punjabi, CEO and founder of MD Pictures.
“With this exciting collaboration with MD Pictures,...
Ahead of the film’s wide IMAX release across Indonesia, which begins April 10, Deadline has announced this morning that Lionsgate has scooped up the domestic rights.
“This collaboration represents a leap forward for the Indonesian movie industry on the global stage. We believe that entertainment transcends language and cultural barriers, and we are confident that through this partnership we will be able to showcase the richness of Indonesian culture to the American audience and beyond,” said Manoj Punjabi, CEO and founder of MD Pictures.
“With this exciting collaboration with MD Pictures,...
- 3/18/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Lionsgate has landed domestic U.S. rights to Badarawuhi Di Desa Penari (Dancing Village: The Curse Begins), the prequel to Indonesia’s highest-grossing film, Kkn Curse of the Dancing Village.
Produced by Indonesian studio MD Pictures, the film will have its stateside premiere on April 4 in Los Angeles. Dancing Village: The Curse Begins is the first filmed-for-IMAX movie ever produced in Southeast Asia, and is also one of five filmed-for-imax productions worldwide this year.
The film is directed by Kimo Stamboel and stars Aulia Sarah, Maudy Effrosina, Jourdy Pranata and Claresta Taufan. The film is set in an Indonesian village where a mysterious presence, Badarawuhi, is terrorizing the community.
“This collaboration represents a leap forward for the Indonesian movie industry on the global stage. We believe that entertainment transcends language and cultural barriers, and we are confident that through this partnership we will be able to showcase the richness...
Produced by Indonesian studio MD Pictures, the film will have its stateside premiere on April 4 in Los Angeles. Dancing Village: The Curse Begins is the first filmed-for-IMAX movie ever produced in Southeast Asia, and is also one of five filmed-for-imax productions worldwide this year.
The film is directed by Kimo Stamboel and stars Aulia Sarah, Maudy Effrosina, Jourdy Pranata and Claresta Taufan. The film is set in an Indonesian village where a mysterious presence, Badarawuhi, is terrorizing the community.
“This collaboration represents a leap forward for the Indonesian movie industry on the global stage. We believe that entertainment transcends language and cultural barriers, and we are confident that through this partnership we will be able to showcase the richness...
- 3/18/2024
- by Sara Merican
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Indonesia’s MD Pictures has announced that its horror prequel Badarawuhi Di Desa Penari is the first production in Southeast Asia to be filmed with Imax-certified digital cameras.
The film, which is a prequel to record-breaking hit Kkn Curse Of The Dancing Village, will receive a wide Imax release across Indonesia on April 10, 2024 during the Eid holiday period. It will feature Imax-exclusive Expanded Aspect Ratio, with some scenes expanding to fill the entirety of the screen and maximizing the viewing experience.
Produced by MD Pictures’ founder Manoj Punjabi, the prequel is directed by leading Indonesian horror and action filmmaker Kimo Stamboel, taking the reins from Awi Suryadi who directed the first film. The ensemble cast includes Aulia Sarah, Maudy Effrosina, Jourdy Pranata and Claresta Taufan, among others. The film is again set in a remote Indonesian village where a mysterious local entity is terrorizing the local population.
The film, which is a prequel to record-breaking hit Kkn Curse Of The Dancing Village, will receive a wide Imax release across Indonesia on April 10, 2024 during the Eid holiday period. It will feature Imax-exclusive Expanded Aspect Ratio, with some scenes expanding to fill the entirety of the screen and maximizing the viewing experience.
Produced by MD Pictures’ founder Manoj Punjabi, the prequel is directed by leading Indonesian horror and action filmmaker Kimo Stamboel, taking the reins from Awi Suryadi who directed the first film. The ensemble cast includes Aulia Sarah, Maudy Effrosina, Jourdy Pranata and Claresta Taufan, among others. The film is again set in a remote Indonesian village where a mysterious local entity is terrorizing the local population.
- 3/7/2024
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
Three of Indonesia’s leading studios – MD Pictures, Falcon and Screenplay Films – explained their plans for taking local content international and how they’re juggling between producing for streamers and theatres, in a session at Apos.
Manoj Punjabi, founder of MD Pictures, said his studio switched to producing 90% for the streamers during the pandemic, working with global players as well as Tencent-owned Chinese streamer WeTV. Tencent acquired a 14.6% stake in MD Pictures during the pandemic, which Punjabi said helped the company reach “a different level with more potential for growth”.
However, Punjabi added that Indonesia is still a market where both studios and audiences support local movies in cinemas. Indonesian films had a record-breaking year in 2022 when cinemas reopened, taking a 60% market share, with hits including MD Pictures’ horror drama Kkn Di Desa Penari, which became Indonesia’s highest-grossing film of all time.
Punjabi explained how he waited two years during the pandemic,...
Manoj Punjabi, founder of MD Pictures, said his studio switched to producing 90% for the streamers during the pandemic, working with global players as well as Tencent-owned Chinese streamer WeTV. Tencent acquired a 14.6% stake in MD Pictures during the pandemic, which Punjabi said helped the company reach “a different level with more potential for growth”.
However, Punjabi added that Indonesia is still a market where both studios and audiences support local movies in cinemas. Indonesian films had a record-breaking year in 2022 when cinemas reopened, taking a 60% market share, with hits including MD Pictures’ horror drama Kkn Di Desa Penari, which became Indonesia’s highest-grossing film of all time.
Punjabi explained how he waited two years during the pandemic,...
- 9/29/2023
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
Media Partners Asia has announced the full line-up of speakers for its Apos Summit in Bali, which includes Canal+ Group’s Asia Pacific chief Manuel Rougeron, Bodhi Tree Systems director Uday Shankar and Amazon Prime Video head of international Kelly Day.
Canal+ Group recently acquired a 26% stake in Asian regional streamer Viu, which will also be present at the Asia-focused media, tech, telecoms and streaming conference, with Viu CEO Janice Lee among the confirmed speakers.
The heavy duty roster also includes Warner Bros Discovery CEO and president, Global Streaming, Jb Perrette; Paramount president & CEO, International, Pam Kaufman; Netflix Japan vice president of content Kaata Sakatomo; BBC Studios’ SVP & Gm Phil Hardman; Candle Media co-ceo and founder Kevin Mayer; Foxtel CEO Patrick Delany; Nine Entertainment CEO Mike Sneesby; and Saugata Mukherjee, head of content at Indian streamer SonyLIV.
Leading figures from the tech world include Animoca Brands executive chairman Yat Siu...
Canal+ Group recently acquired a 26% stake in Asian regional streamer Viu, which will also be present at the Asia-focused media, tech, telecoms and streaming conference, with Viu CEO Janice Lee among the confirmed speakers.
The heavy duty roster also includes Warner Bros Discovery CEO and president, Global Streaming, Jb Perrette; Paramount president & CEO, International, Pam Kaufman; Netflix Japan vice president of content Kaata Sakatomo; BBC Studios’ SVP & Gm Phil Hardman; Candle Media co-ceo and founder Kevin Mayer; Foxtel CEO Patrick Delany; Nine Entertainment CEO Mike Sneesby; and Saugata Mukherjee, head of content at Indian streamer SonyLIV.
Leading figures from the tech world include Animoca Brands executive chairman Yat Siu...
- 8/17/2023
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
MIPCOM Keynote Speaker
Gerhard Zeiler, president of international at Warner Bros. Discovery, will give the opening keynote at the 39th edition of TV market Mipcom, which runs Oct. 16-19 in Cannes.
Zeiler is expected to share insight into Wbd’s transformation post-merger as well as lay out the company’s worldwide content and streaming strategy.
Zeiler’s responsibilities for Wbd span strategic oversight of brands and joint responsibility for direct-to-consumer activity (including streaming service Max) across more than 220 markets. He is also responsible for local theatrical production, acquisitions, and country and region-specific networks and businesses in Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific.
Zeiler said: “Our industry is facing heightened disruption and undergoing a process of transformation. These are times of change but it’s also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to architect the media ecosystem for the next generation. I’m looking forward to speaking at Mipcom about...
Gerhard Zeiler, president of international at Warner Bros. Discovery, will give the opening keynote at the 39th edition of TV market Mipcom, which runs Oct. 16-19 in Cannes.
Zeiler is expected to share insight into Wbd’s transformation post-merger as well as lay out the company’s worldwide content and streaming strategy.
Zeiler’s responsibilities for Wbd span strategic oversight of brands and joint responsibility for direct-to-consumer activity (including streaming service Max) across more than 220 markets. He is also responsible for local theatrical production, acquisitions, and country and region-specific networks and businesses in Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific.
Zeiler said: “Our industry is facing heightened disruption and undergoing a process of transformation. These are times of change but it’s also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to architect the media ecosystem for the next generation. I’m looking forward to speaking at Mipcom about...
- 8/4/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Indonesian adaptations of hit series “Call My Agent” and “Doctor Foster” are among six series that are part of the Disney+ Hotstar push into the territory.
“Hubungi Agen Gue!” (“The Talent Agency”), the adaptation of “Call My Agent,” was the new title revealed on Wednesday at the Disney Content Showcase held at Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands convention center. Industry veteran Mira Lesmana serves as showrunner for the series that follows four agents in an Indonesian talent agency as they struggle to save their business following the death of the company’s founder.
Stars include Donny Damara, Hannah Al Rashid, Yoga Pratama and Lydia Kandou and each episode will feature A-listers guest-starring as themselves in keeping with the global format. The series is produced by Lesmana, Riri Riza and Sk Global Entertainment and directed by Teddy Soeriaatmadja. It has wrapped principal photography, Lesmana said.
Also revealed was a second season for “Wedding Agreement.
“Hubungi Agen Gue!” (“The Talent Agency”), the adaptation of “Call My Agent,” was the new title revealed on Wednesday at the Disney Content Showcase held at Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands convention center. Industry veteran Mira Lesmana serves as showrunner for the series that follows four agents in an Indonesian talent agency as they struggle to save their business following the death of the company’s founder.
Stars include Donny Damara, Hannah Al Rashid, Yoga Pratama and Lydia Kandou and each episode will feature A-listers guest-starring as themselves in keeping with the global format. The series is produced by Lesmana, Riri Riza and Sk Global Entertainment and directed by Teddy Soeriaatmadja. It has wrapped principal photography, Lesmana said.
Also revealed was a second season for “Wedding Agreement.
- 11/30/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Leading Indonesian film and TV production company, MD Pictures is to go public with an Ipo on the Jakarta stock exchange. It aims to raise some $29 million.
The company is selling a mixture of new shares and convertible bonds. Combined they represent 19.5% of the group’s capital. At the IDR210 per share offer price, the company has an initial market capitalization of $150 million (IDR2.174 trillion).
The company says that all the proceeds will be used for working capital, production and talent contracts. Within that, MD is also eyeing involvement in a Hollywood operation.
MD is headed by Manoj Punjabi, who founded the company in 2003 with the backing of his father Dhamoo. They are relatives of Raam Punjabi, who heads another leading Indonesian media group Multivision Plus.
MD claims that its shows account for 30-40% of the viewing time for the soap operas, aka sinetrons, that dominate Indonesian TV. The TV...
The company is selling a mixture of new shares and convertible bonds. Combined they represent 19.5% of the group’s capital. At the IDR210 per share offer price, the company has an initial market capitalization of $150 million (IDR2.174 trillion).
The company says that all the proceeds will be used for working capital, production and talent contracts. Within that, MD is also eyeing involvement in a Hollywood operation.
MD is headed by Manoj Punjabi, who founded the company in 2003 with the backing of his father Dhamoo. They are relatives of Raam Punjabi, who heads another leading Indonesian media group Multivision Plus.
MD claims that its shows account for 30-40% of the viewing time for the soap operas, aka sinetrons, that dominate Indonesian TV. The TV...
- 7/24/2018
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Indonesia’s MD Pictures and La-based finance, production and distribution company Vega Baby have joined forces on a slate of 10-15 films with budgets under $5M. Over the next five years, the partners will finance and produce high-concept genre pics with MD founder Manoj Punjabi and Vega President/CEO Adam Ripp serving as exec producers. The first title greenlit under the pact is Afraid, a horror film scripted by Paul Todisco and Oliver Robins. It centers on a…...
- 10/22/2015
- Deadline
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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