Joko Anwar’s horror comedy Ghost in the Cell has secured distribution in German-speaking Europe through Prion Pictures ahead of its world premiere in the Forum section of the Berlin Film Festival.
Global sales will be handled by Barunson E&A.
The deal was negotiated between Moritz Peters, Director of Acquisitions at Prion Pictures, and Sylvie Kim, Head of International Business at Balunson E&A.
The film depicts a quiet prisoner who arrives in a violent Indonesian prison with a supernatural being who murders people with the darkest auras. As the prisoners perform good deeds to survive, they realize that banding together is their only chance of not being eliminated one by one. This project is a blend of horror, comedy, and social commentary.
Ghost in the Cell is produced by Come & Sea Pictures, Lapi Films, Barunson E&A and Legacy Pictures. Tia Hasibuan will co-produce with Anwar, who will also serve as executive producer along with Gop T. Samtani, Sunil G. Samtani, Sunar S. Samtani, Yunhee Choi, Sylvie Kim, Lisbeth Simalmata and Mina Hwang.
The ensemble cast includes Abimana Aryasatiya, Endy Alfian, Bronte Paralae, Morgan Oy, Lukman Sardi, and Danan Suryonegoro.
The Indonesian prison thriller is the latest collaboration between Barunson E&A and Prion Pictures, following on from their collaboration on Bong Joon-ho’s Oscar-winning film “Parasite” and Kim Ji-woon’s Cannes film “Spider’s Web.” The deal includes theatrical and home entertainment distribution in Germany, Austria and throughout the German-speaking world.
Plaion Pictures is one of Europe’s leading independent distribution companies, covering the entire entertainment value chain from theater to home. The company received the Distributor Award from the German Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media in 2024.
The distributor’s lineup includes multiple award-winning films, including director Joachim Trier’s Cannes winner Sentimental Value. Other recent acquisitions include Palme d’Or winner “Anatomy of a Fall,” two-time Oscar winner “The Whale” and Palme d’Or winner “Titan.” Pryon Pictures, in particular, achieved over 1 million admissions in Germany for “Parasite.”
“‘Ghost in the Cell’ combines the gore of ‘The Terrifier’ and the action of ‘The Raid’ with the humor of Stephen Chow, and against all expectations, it works brilliantly,” Peters said. “This is a great film production. Kudos to Joko Anwar and the entire team at Come & Sea Pictures and Barunson E&A.”
Anwar has established himself internationally as a versatile filmmaker whose work spans comedy, thriller, horror and action. His films have premiered in Venice, Toronto, Sundance, and the Berlinale, and several have become record hits locally. He previously directed at HBO Asia and produced the Netflix series “The Nightmares and Daydreams of Joko Anwar,” which reached the top 10 in the US.
The writer and director framed “Ghost in the Cell” as an examination of large-scale deforestation and systemic injustice in Indonesia. “Beneath its supernatural surface lies something very real: massive deforestation in Indonesia and how this destruction is too often met with silence and neglect,” Anwar said. “By setting the story inside a prison, we were able to explore other forms of incarceration, produced by a system that punishes the weak while protecting the corrupt.”
Indonesian release is scheduled for the second quarter of 2026. Ikal Tanjung will serve as cinematographer, while Dennis Stunt will serve as production designer and Anwar’s editor. Sound design is by Peter Bawiec, score is composed by Aghi Narottama, and music is provided by Tony Merle.
Plaion Pictures’ 2026 slate also includes Julia Ducournau’s Alpha and Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice, which are scheduled to hit theaters this year.
