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Ghost in the Cell

Forum 2026
© Come and See Pictures
A high-security prison under the yoke of a tyrannical warden is rocked by a spate of gruesome murders, with victims’ bodies put on morbidly spectacular display. Who is the perpetrator, and who will be the next prey? Between spontaneous dance-offs and sudden prayers, kinetic fistfights and Kierkegaard invocations, hapless inmates scramble for cover. Overcoming internal gang rivalry, they unite to decipher the motive behind the killings and pacify their invisible, otherworldly enemy. In Ghost in the Cell, Indonesian genre wizard Joko Anwar crafts a gleefully grotesque horror-comedy that is disarming in more ways than one. Featuring a teeming ensemble of goofy characters on the verge of breakdown, the film shuttles nimbly between levity and graphic brutality, producing laughter that often gets stuck in the throat. Making emphatic use of primary colours, Anwar lends his twelfth feature a painterly force, but with cheeky references to ecological plundering and worker exploitation, he also augments it with an irreverent, political edge. Yet this is no “elevated horror”, just pure genre fireworks.
by Joko Anwar (Director, Screenplay)
with Abimana Aryasatya, Endy Arfian, Bront Palarae, Morgan Oey, Lukman Sardi, Danang Suryonegoro Indonesia 2026 Indonesian 106' Colour World premiere

With

  • Abimana Aryasatya
  • Endy Arfian
  • Bront Palarae
  • Morgan Oey
  • Lukman Sardi
  • Danang Suryonegoro

Crew

Director Joko Anwar
Screenplay Joko Anwar
Cinematography Ical Tanjung
Editing Joko Anwar
Music Aghi Narottama, Tony Merle
Sound Design Peter Bawiec
Production Design Dennis Sutanto
Producer Tia Hasibuan

Produced by

Come and See Pictures

Jakarta, Indonesia

Rapi Films

Jakarta, Indonesia

Barunson E&A

Seoul, South Korea

Legacy Pictures

Jakarta, Indonesia

World Sales

Barunson E&A

Seoul, South Korea

Photos

Joko Anwar

Joko Anwar, born 1976 in Medan, is an Indonesian writer-director known for combining genre cinema with social commentary. His work spans comedy, thriller, horror, and action, earning both critical acclaim and major box office success. His films have premiered at Venice, Toronto, Sundance and – coming up – the Berlinale, and screened widely worldwide. Several became record-breaking hits in Indonesia and traveled internationally. Anwar has also directed for HBO Asia and created a Netflix series that entered the U.S. Top 10.

Filmography (selection)

2005 Janji Joni (Joni’s Promise) 2007 Kala (Dead Time: Kala) · Pintu Terlarang (The Forbidden Door) 2012 Modus Anomali (Ritual) 2015 A Copy of My Mind 2017 Pengabdi Setan (Satan’s Slaves) 2019 Gundala: Putra Petir (Gundala) · Perempuan Tanah Jahanam (Impetigore) 2022 Pengabdi Setan 2: Communion (Satan’s Slaves 2: Communion) 2024 Siksa Kubur (Grave Torture) 2025 Pengepungan di Bukit Duri (The Siege at Thorn High) 2026 Ghost in the Cell

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2026