Indonesian film director Adrianto Dewo’s new psychological horror project “Evil Underground,” which depicts estranged sisters trapped in the basement of a shopping mall, has been selected as a JAFF Future Project.
The Indonesian film, directed by Dewo and produced by Perlita Desiani and Tina Irwin through their production company Related Films, is one of 10 Asia-Pacific titles selected for the JAFF Future Project at this year’s JAFF Market in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
“Evil Underground” follows a group of teenagers who gather for a midnight horror screening in a dilapidated old trade center. These include sisters Dian and Mirna, who remain estranged after their father’s death and Dian entered a mental health retreat. After the movie, a friend invites them to try a viral ritual in the basement of a mall: run five laps in the middle of the night, turn off the headlights, and chant a simple mantra.
Nothing happens until the final loop ends with a violent thump, and when I go outside to check, Dian has disappeared into the darkness. As they search for her, the basement warps into a looping psychological trap where shadows whisper, corridors repeat, and an entity mimics the dead and preys on buried guilt. In order to survive, the group must confront secrets, tensions, and betrayals that they have long avoided. Because the deeper the darkness, the more they hunt down whatever they refuse to face.
For Dewo, this story is based on two personal experiences. “Years ago, my partner and I were temporarily trapped in the basement of a shopping mall parking lot. She was claustrophobic, and I witnessed her fear escalate in a very real and visceral way,” says the director. “At that moment, I realized that a familiar place could suddenly feel threatening and disorienting.”
The second inspiration came from a more emotional source. “As we get older, we hear more and more about the deaths of people around us, such as parents, relatives, and friends,” Dewo says. “And recently, I watched two sisters nearby lose their father. They had very different reactions to grief. It wasn’t as extreme as the movie, of course, but the contrast was striking. It made me think deeply about how people perceive pain differently, even within the same family.”
It combines two elements: the anxiety of being lost in a city basement and the emotional complexity of brothers dealing with grief. “A combination of personal memories, real-life observations, and a desire to explore grief through genre storytelling inspired ‘Evil Underground,'” Dewo says.
The director wants to use horror as a lens through which to examine the anxieties of modern youth. “We live in a time when young people are facing unprecedented pressure, anxiety and loss, but they tend to hide it behind humor, distraction and social media,” he says. “Evil Underground uses horror as a means to explore how unspoken pain can turn into jealousy, resentment, and destructive behavior when left unaddressed.”
The producers added, “As producers, we were drawn to ‘Evil Underground’ because it frames pressing social issues within a compelling and lofty horror concept. This project reflects the emotional climate of today’s youth, silent pressures, fractured relationships, and the increasing intensity of urban life, but communicates this through a fresh and accessible genre approach.”
At JAFF Market, the filmmakers aim to build strategic partnerships that will help elevate the project from a strong local project to a film with global reach. “We would like to see this event as an opportunity to launch a new flavor of Indonesian horror breakthrough,” say the producers. “We like to highlight social issues wrapped up in terrifying psychological thrillers, but this genre is rarely explored and tested for fear of low market credibility.”
The team aims to connect with potential collaborators, distributors and international sales agents who share our passion for genre films with social depth. “We also hope to obtain early market feedback to consider the festival’s positioning and strengthen the project’s visibility within Southeast Asia and international industry networks,” they say. “JAFF Market is an important platform for us to help us introduce ‘Evil Underground’ to the right collaborators and maximize both its creative and commercial impact.”
Dewo’s debut feature, Tabula Rasa, won the Sitra Award for Best Director at the 2014 Indonesian Film Festival. He also directed Homecoming, which had its world premiere at the 2019 Macau International Film Festival & Awards, and won the Citra Award for Best Original Screenplay at the 2020 Indonesian Film Festival. He is also active in the horror field and directed the segment “Ghost Market” in the 2012 horror anthology “Hi5teria.”
Dewo will also write and direct a remake of the 1988 Indonesian horror cult film Lukisan Belumul Dara for Mandela Pictures and Related Films, with production set to begin in the second quarter of 2026.
The project is currently under development. The JAFF Future Project is designed to serve as a development platform and co-creation hub, advancing independent works towards completion and distribution. The initiative will run from November 29th to December. It was held at Yogya Expo Center in Yogyakarta as part of the broader 20th anniversary celebrations of the Yogya Netpac Asian Film Festival.
