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Indonesian film production company Imajinari is expanding its footprint with an ambitious slate of upcoming projects following the breakout success of its comedy hit “Agak Laen,” which accumulated 9.1 million cinema viewers to become the bestselling Indonesian comedy of all time.

Founded in 2021 by Ernest Prakasa and Dipa Andika, Imajinari has set “Tinggal Meninggal,” a dark comedy in post-production. The film, directed by Kristo Immanuel, will be followed by “Agak Laen 2,” the sequel to their record-breaking comedy, with Muhadkly Acho returning as writer and director.

“Our philosophy is we want to make original stories, and we want to make sure everything is ready,” Andika told Variety at Hong Kong FilMart. “We don’t want to push it if it’s not ready.”

Imajinari’s commitment to original storytelling in a market dominated by sequels, remakes and horror films has paid dividends with critical acclaim. Their 2023 black-and-white romantic comedy “Jatuh Cinta Seperti Di Film-Film...

Yandy Laurens‘s previous film, “Falling in Love Like in Movies” was one of the best films of 2023, with his approach on the ‘film-about-film’ concept being as unique as it was smart. With “A Brother and 7 Siblings” however, he opts for a rather mainstream approach, that definitely aims to please the (Indonesian) audience. Let us see how he fares.

A Brother and 7 Siblings screened at Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival

After the untimely death of his older siblings, Moko, a struggling young architect, sees his dreams for studying for a master go to waste, as he has to become a single parent for a newborn baby, along with three more siblings, Woko, Nina and Ano. At the same time, he pushes his girlfriend, Maurin, away, as she continues on a path he also hoped to follow. His life is essentially tragic, with him barely having time to get work to support his younger relatives,...

Indonesia’s Base Entertainment has added Ho Wi Ding’s family drama Mothernet to its slate, an Indonesia-Singapore co-production that brings together top talents from the Southeast Asian region.

The feature, now in production, is also backed by Indonesia’s Beacon Film, Singapore-based Refinery Media and Hong Kong’s Jem Productions. The cast is headed by celebrated Indonesian actors Dian Sastrowardoyo of hit Netflix series Cigarette Girl, who is also producing through Beacon Film, Ringgo Agus Rahman (Falling In Love Like In Movies) and rising star Ali Fikri (24 Hours with Gaspar).

Set in the near future, the story follows...

Production is under way on “Mothernet,” a drama film that examines the growing relationship between humans and technology. Ho Wi Ding, whose “Pinoy Sunday” and “Cities of Last Things” won multiple prizes, is in the director’s chair.

Set in Indonesia’s near future, “Mothernet” is a poignant family drama centered around 16-year-old Rama who is trying to navigate life after a tragic accident leaves his mother in a coma. With the help of an artificial intelligence (AI) program, Rama and his father embark on a journey of reconnection and healing, according to a supplied synopsis.

Indonesian actors Dian Sastrowardoyo (Netflix series “Cigarette Girl”) and Ringgo Agus Rahman (“Falling in Love Like in Movies”), portray the adult leads. Rising star Ali Fikri (“24 Hours with Gaspar”) plays the youngster.

“Mothernet” is being shot mainly on location in Indonesia, with its virtual scenes to be shot in Singapore, at the X3D Studio...

The intense emergence of films about films that has been happening the last few years in Asian cinema is probably one of the most exciting concepts to be taking place in the region's cinema. Yandy Laurens tries his hand in the (sub) genre, through an approach that provides one of its apogees.

Falling in Love Like in Movies is screening at San Diego Asian Film Festival Spring Showcase

The film shows its colors (pun intended) from the introductory scene. A script writer, Bagus (who is played by Ringgo Agus Rahman) enters the office of his producer, Yoram, who, once more, wants him to adapt another successful TV drama to a movie. Bagus, however, has another concept in his mind, of a black-and-white rom-com which is based on his actual experience, after meeting Hana, his old high school flames, and pursues a romantic relationship with her, even though it has just...

Indonesia’s cinema admissions grew by 14.5% year-on-year to reach 114.5 million in 2023, compared to 100 million the previous year, according to local box office analyst Bicara Box Office. That figure puts the market around 24% below the pre-pandemic figure of 152 million admissions in 2019.

Despite having a slow start to the year, local productions picked up the pace from September onwards and ended 2023 with 53.3 million admissions for a 48% market share, according to Bicara Box Office data.

In 2022, Indonesian films racked up 57 million admissions and a 56.5% market share, a year of fewer Hollywood releases, which also saw the record-breaking success of MD Pictures’ Kkn Di Desa Penari, which raked in 9.23 million admissions to become Indonesia’s biggest local film of all time (the film was also re-released in an extended version at the end of 2022 and the two versions combined pulled in more than 10 million admissions).

MD Pictures also produced the top Indonesian film in...