Badarawuhi di Desa Penari

This is an Indonasian movie and I must say its a very good movie.

I just started watching this movie without knowing much around its baseline or origin country. But as I started watching it catches me.

I liked the theme and direction. Later I searched and find this is based on true story told/experienced by some students of or around same village. I also found this movie is prequel of "KKN di Desa Penari".

Now I will watch that movie as well.

Acting: very good by the central character and good by other supporting characters Direction: really very good

I was not expecting much from this movie but I must say this is a good movie.

This movie unintentionally gives off a very strong sapphic vibe that is impossible to ignore. The way the characters interact, the dialogues they exchange, and the overall atmosphere of the film all hint at deeper feelings between the leads, Mila and Badarawuhi. The conversations between them often feel charged, as if every word is carefully chosen to hide more than it reveals. There are subtle glances and lingering looks that build a quiet tension, which keeps viewers guessing about what's really going on beneath the surface. Sometimes, I find myself feeling genuinely excited whenever they share a scene, even if I can't exactly explain why. It's that electric feeling of two characters sharing a connection that feels more than just friendship. Their relationship dynamic is complex, layered with unspoken emotions that add depth to the story. You can see it in how they interact-how Mila seems both hesitant and drawn to Badarawuhi, while Badarawuhi appears aware of the tension but doesn't quite address it. This chemistry is what makes the movie stand out for me, even with its flaws. It's the main reason I keep watching it and why I genuinely enjoy the film.

For fans of LGBTQ stories, this film offers a lot of what they enjoy. The subtle hints, the emotional tension, and the powerful performances speak directly to those who love seeing romantic or intimate themes portrayed on screen. If you're someone who appreciates stories about first love, hidden feelings, or characters navigating moments of closeness and distance, you will find this movie captivating. I believe it has a natural appeal for an audience that values queer representation, even if it's not explicitly labeled as a "LGBT film." The layers of tension suggest a deeper story that many viewers with an interest in queer themes will absolutely love. It's a movie that, even without explicit focus on sexuality, radiates a strong vibe that makes it clear these characters share a more meaningful connection.

This 2024 film "Dancing Village: The Curse Begins (Badarawuhi di Desa Penari)" directed by Kimo Stamboel explores Indonesian supernatural beliefs. It's a slow burn but really tries to implode human emotions through despair and dancing.

It's story originality based on dance traditions with life/death deities and sorcery. The actors really deliver strong performances of young people trying to rationalize logic to what is a curse. It follows a 2022 KKN di Desa Penari" film, some similar ideas sourced in folklore.

The story focuses on two young women (Rathil and Mila) with mothers in terrible state of physical and mental illness. They aren't understanding what's happening, they dealing with the supernatural, things can't be undone.

The film enters through their struggling between earthy and spiritual realms. A realm controlled by a supernatural tormenter and soul taker: Badarawuhi which played beautifully by Aulia Sarah.

In some ways, it reminds one of the 1977 (and 2018 remake) film Suspiria. Modern ballet ancing on those films play with witchcraft and self-destruction, centered on women.

In this case solely based on Indonesian folk dancing, it's surreal scenes are of interest. There's no excessive gore scenes nor jump scares but still deliver a creepy vibe.

The scenes of dancing and sorcery are done well, as the beautiful dance moves become acts of evil. Again, it's slow but delivers toward the story ending. It also marks that Indonesian horror genre can be smart and elusive.

Past 80s/90s Indonesian horror unfortunately has been seen as campy, championed by a mostly cult film audiences. Although the recent reboot of "VHS" found footage enlisted Indonesian director and actors within the horror genre.

This particular film will definitely challenges old tropes on South Asian horror genre. Film's cinematography is excellent and inviting. Mostly set in rural landscapes and sound effects are superb.

Main character was so Beautiful but so cruel also, the story line was very detail in this prequel. Makes the audience more familiar with its origins. The timeline is different from the Dancer Village KKN. This time it is set in the 1980s. Where a dancer outwits Badarawuhi, making Nyai very angry.

With different actors and characters from the sequel, this film is fresh and interesting, although some scenes are somewhat similar to the sequel, they don't make you bored and are still fun to watch even with a duration of 122 minutes. At first glance it looks like a repetition but is described in more detail. Moreover, it is supported by the acting of the players, all of whom are good and really get into their characters. A little funny touch from Iqbal Sulaiman creates an ice breaker amidst the horrors of the Badarawuhi terror.

Some of the jumscares are quite surprising. Not only does it show many tense scenes. The emotional drama between mother and child was very touching

Be careful if you have a phobia of snakes, prepare yourself mentally to watch this film.

Dancing Village: The Curse Begins is an interesting tale of a forest Demon trying once again to gain power. The story starts without much understanding of the dynamic, but Mila is seeking a particular village to return a trinket to save her mother of an unknown disease that has hit quickly.

While there are tropes galore of they genre of horror films, Dancing Village has enough to keep above the completely obvious downfalls. (Do we have to have the one character that seems greedy, uncouth, and selfishly idiotic?) There are moment of gentle chills and suspense. The story unfolds easily, and at times it's too predictable if you've ever seen an Asian horror.

Dancing Village appears to be a prequel, and I feel it is worth a watch. Overall, a decent film. One element that made it less enjoyable for me was the huge express of distress around a failing family member. The excessive outpouring was at times difficult for me to take seriously, but that could be from cultural issues or my own personal family dysfunction.