Indonesian director Josep Angi Noen (Atonement) brings Leila S. Chudri’s acclaimed novel, Laut Berselita, to the screen.
The ensemble cast includes Reza Rahadian, Dian Sastrowardoyo, Unita Siregar, Eva Celia, Christine Hakim, and Arswendi Beningswara.
The film, released at JAFF Market, is currently being produced by PAL8 Pictures in collaboration with VMS Studios, Jagarta, Lynx Film, and Brandlink, and centers on the Wibisono family whose eldest son, Bill Raut, disappeared in the 1990s. While his parents, Aya Wibisono and his wife, hold out hope that their son will survive, their daughter, Asmara Jati, becomes convinced that her brother is gone.
Set against the backdrop of Indonesia’s democracy movement in the 1990s, the story follows college student Bill Laut, whose commitment to justice leads him to the Winatra Group, a secret circle of activists who write and speak against authoritarian rule. The story unfolds from two perspectives. Raut’s own voice is characterized by poetry and idealism, and his sister Asmara Jati later searches for traces of her missing brother in the family as she continues to wait for answers.
“This is not a traditional love story. This is a story of young people standing by their principles and speaking their voices,” Noen said. The filmmaker emphasized that resistance transcends time and belongs to every generation.
Nohen is an adaptation of the original work, which has been reprinted more than 120 times, has sold approximately 700,000 copies, and is expected to reach 1.4 million readers. The work will incorporate visual hallmarks of the era, such as demonstrations, mass movements, and underground rallies set to the popular music of the time, as well as icons of fashion, communications technology, and entertainment designed to emphasize similarities with today’s youth.
“In a world where history is buried under misinformation, propaganda, and digital echo chambers, fiction has become essential,” Noen said, explaining that the approach distills real events and reconstructs them to spark curiosity.
The production team behind the camera includes producer Gita Farah, co-writers Chudhuri and Noen, cinematographer Batala Gompal, production designer Ahmad Zulkarnan, editor Dinda Amanda, costume designer Retno Rati Damayanti, and makeup designer Aktris Handrajasa.
PAL8 Pictures, a production company under Tempo Media Group with more than 50 years of experience in the news industry, will make its feature debut with this project before moving forward with additional titles. The company aims to produce films related to social issues, including stories with a social or historical context.
Co-producers include VMS (Visual Media Studio), known for titles like ‘Pemandu Jenazah’, ‘Assalamualaikum Baitullah’, ‘Maryam: Janji dan Jiwa yang Terikat’ and ‘Penerbangan Terakhir’. Jagartha Group is known as a pioneer in film financing in Indonesia, with credits such as “Mencuri Raden Saleh,” “Jatuh Cinta Seperti di Film-Film,” “Agak Laen,” and “Sore: Istri darimasa Depan.” Founded in 2004, Lynx Films is known for its collaboration with director Garin Nugroho on Samsara, and recent short films Pooran and Galula Tropicalia Alive were selected as entries at this year’s Jogja Netpac Asian Film Festival.
Production is targeted for release in Q3 2026.
