NIGHTSTREAM: Indonesian Horror Panel presented by Shudder

The Indonesian Horror Panel hosted by Sam Zimmerman (Director of Programming at Shudder) was joined by two upcoming voices of Timo Tjahjanto (May the Devil Take You) and Kimo Stamboel (The Queen of Black Magic). Indonesian horror is finding its audience, and rightly so. For someone who loves the horror genre, it was nice to drop in on this conversation to expand my library, view, and interest towards the Indonesian horror.

The genre is famous for blood, gore, mutilation, and twisted bodies. Broken limbs decorate the frames. One of the major discussions, then, was held around the censorship - the limitations it possesses on the filmmaker. Timo admits it is a hard thing. He says that the censorship turns one into a leashed filmmaker. He revealed the inconsistency present in the censorship of Asia. One year, violence and sex would be happily admitted while the next year, things would change. Seems like all is based on luck. But one can't establish his hard work on chance, and so Timo explains making two versions of the same shot. Like one will be shot with a knife and another without it, using suggestion to build tension.

Kimo used The Queen of Black Magic to recall how he insisted on keeping cool goriness from the original in his remake with his justification to censor board being black magic could kill people. Sometimes, though, scenes are trimmed out with negotiations with producers to avoid loss. Things settle up with a 17+ rating.

Both Kimo and Timo happen to be fans of American horror. In fact, it paved the way for them as they used to immerse themselves into the grips of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Kimo remarked on the studio's notion of limiting horror to just local release. Film Festivals helped in breaking this wall. After all, horror is an international language. No boundary can bind it—Timo's words, not mine. I approve.

We were also told about the small budget being allocated to horror films. The producers and the studios don't take it seriously, leaving a filmmaker with approximately 14 to 18 days to complete the shoot. Not everyone is as lucky as these two.

Finally, before bidding adieu, Timo and Kimo left with few recommendations: Lady Terminator, Satan's Slave, and Mystics in Bali. Have you seen any of them? If not, seek it out. Now, where did I put the virgin's blood?

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