Behind The Door

Director-screenwriter Joko Anwar swims against the tide in Indonesia’s frustratingly monotonous cinematic scene, dominated by formulaic teen flicks, sex comedies and schlock horror (in some cases, all three rolled into one). His debut movie Janji Joni (Joni’s Promise), the sweet, whimsical story of a movie delivery man’s wild race across the city, was followed by Kala (Time), a film noir-ish suspense widely praised for its creativity.

His third movie, Pintu Terlarang (Forbidden Door), is a darker escapade, telling of a successful sculptor’s obsessive mission to rescue a young victim of abuse. It has a retro, 1950-ish feel and shows an idealized view of Jakarta in its colorful sets.

“It’s a mind-bending thriller on voyeurism, and about man’s nature to try to find out things we are forbidden to know, just like the story of Adam and Eve,” says Joko. “It’s much more daring in terms of style and theme than my previous films. And I think it’s more entertaining.”

The movie will be released in January but Joko agreed to share these exclusive images of the making of the movie with WEEKENDER readers.

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