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How Sinemaku Pictures has signaled a new era for Indonesian cinema
A new dawn is upon the Indonesian film industry, and studio founders and filmmakers Prilly Latuconsina and Umay Shahab are ready to embrace it.
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Young guns: Sinemaku Pictures is set to premiere three films in 2024. From left to right: Temurun, Bolehkah Sekali Saja Kumenangis and Perayaan Mati Rasa. (Courtesy of Sinemaku Pictures & POPLICIST Publicist/-)
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inemaku Pictures – an Indonesian film production house founded by Prilly Latuconsina and Umay Shahab – has appeared as a new industry player on the rise. Looking at the bigger picture, however, their repeated successes have signaled a new era in Indonesian cinema.
The biggest consumers of Indonesian movies are no longer the opulent and conservative. Instead, cinema seats are now filled by the young and restless.
Most Indonesian filmmakers might have missed the signs. However, Prilly and Umay have seen and embraced the changing scenery in the country’s cinemas. More importantly, they decided that it was time to give these new audiences something they wanted to see on the silver screen: stories that are challenging, timely and emotionally resonant.
The two filmmakers had a sit-down with The Jakarta Post on Feb. 26 to discuss their unprecedented success since their conception in 2019, and how they will hit the ground running in 2024.
On the rise
There was one notable moment at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when, driven by the unexpected box-office success of Sinemaku's 2022 Kukira Kau Rumah, the Indonesian film industry finally found its pulse. Against all odds, the romantic drama surpassed 2 million viewers 15 days after its premiere.
