Brilio.net - The name Joko Anwar is certainly familiar in the world of Indonesian cinema. The director, who is known for his horror films, is now working on a film again through the Come and See Pictures production house which he directs with producer Tia Hasibuan. In Joko Anwar's Content Day session 'Siksa Kubur' which was attended by brilio.net on Monday (4/3), Joko Anwar told what inspired him to make the film entitled Siksa Kubur .
Since childhood, Joko Anwar heard many stories about the torment of the grave. Even before he received elementary school (SD). According to him, the story he heard was very scary and made him remember it until he was an adult.
"We as Muslims have received religious education from childhood since elementary school. Even when reciting the Koran we are always told about the torture of the grave by the ustaz. So for a child who still doesn't know about wrong and right, when we are told that if we don't believe, we will be tortured. "It's terrible. And I kept remembering it until I was an adult," he said.
Because this story kept ringing in his mind, Joko Anwar admitted that he had wanted to make this film for a long time. However, at that time he did not dare because he felt that this film required maturity and required long and detailed research in accordance with the rules and teachings of the Islamic religion.
photo: brilio.net/Dewi Suci
"So before making any horror film, I want to make a film about torture in the grave but don't know how. Tia, who is my producer and work partner since 2004, said that if you want to make a film about torture in the grave, it must comply with religious rules and teachings," he added. .
Until finally he had the opportunity to work with Justin Lin, who is the director of the film Fast and Furious. He was one of the Indonesian directors who got the opportunity to make a seven-minute short film.
"In 2012 I was contacted by Justin Lin, the director of the film Fast and Furious, to make a short film that was seven minutes long. And there was no dialogue. I thought this was an extraordinary opportunity to film the torture of the grave," explained Joko Anwar.
Joko Anwar thinks that many people are interested in stories about the torture of the grave. Even his short films are often used for lectures. Starting from the short film he made 12 years ago, Joko Anwar developed the story of the torture of the grave in his short film into a feature film.
"This is not only something important for me to tell, but it is also important for people to hear stories about the torture of the grave. That's why I dared to make a long film about the torture of the grave," he said.
This film is also Joko Anwar's 10th film while working in the film industry as a filmmaker. At that moment, he admitted that he wanted to create a work with mature and meaningful storytelling.
photo: brilio.net/Dewi Suci
"I romanticize my journey as a filmmaker. This is my 10th film and I think this is the most meaningful film. And for topics like this, we can't work on them if we are not mature. So I developed this film when I was a filmmaker and as a human "It's more mature to tell the story, so the film can be more meaningful," explained Joko Anwar.
In working on this film, Joko Anwar also revealed the research process he and his team carried out to create a work that not only shows a gripping story, but can also be a moment for self-reflection.
"Now the impact is more reflective. When we finish watching the film, we are silent and think about life after death. During the research process, we also collected a lot of books and listened to lectures. Thank God, now we can get lectures about anything, including the issue of torture in the grave. "from authentic hadith. We collect the facts, then we make a story," he said.
Not only did he do a lot of research from books and lectures, Joko Anwar and his team also opened discussion sessions with several parties who were experts in their fields to provide each other with input regarding film scenarios. He also invited writers, journalists and figures who understand more deeply about the Islamic religion. Only after discussion did he and his team decide which ones would be implemented into the film.
"So once the scenario was created, I shared the first draft with the producer and friends, then we discussed it to become the next draft. We had 3 drafts, we discussed drafts 1 and 2 internally, then on the third draft we invited several expert parties. in their field to discuss together and provide input. When filming there was also input from the players," said Joko.
Even though it tells a lot about the torture of the grave which is believed by Muslims, Joko Anwar said that this is a universal film that can be enjoyed by people of all religions and beliefs. He hopes that this film can be food for thought for the audience.
"From the start, we agreed to make a universal film from an Islamic religious perspective. For those who are Muslim, this could be food for thought, because it is close to them. Meanwhile for people who are not Muslim, this film could be food for thought," he added.
On this occasion, Joko Anwar also revealed the meaning behind the Siksa Kubur film poster which displays 12 pocong. According to him, the poster depicts 12 groups of humans who were resurrected from the grave. Apart from that, you can also see human faces that were destroyed due to torture in the grave.
"This is an interactive film, so the ending depends on the participation of the audience. There is something new in the ending of the story," he concluded.