Interview by Paul Salfen
SYNOPSIS:
In this horror-thriller, a shaman instructs Mila to return a mystical bracelet, the Kawaturih, to the “Dancing Village,” a remote site on the easternmost tip of Java Island. Joined by her cousin, Yuda, and his friends Jito and Arya, Mila arrives on the island only to discover that the village elder has passed away, and that the new guardian, Mbah Buyut, isn’t present. Various strange and eerie events occur while awaiting Mbah Buyut’s return, including Mila being visited by Badarawuhi, a mysterious, mythical being who rules the village. When she decides to return the Kawaturih without the help of Mgah Buyut, Mila threatens the village’s safety, and she must join a ritual to select the new “Dawuh,” a cursed soul forced to dance for the rest of her life.
DANCING VILLAGE: THE CURSE BEGINS is a prequel to KKN DI DESA PENARI, which was the highest grossing Indonesian film in history when it was released in 2022.This new film is the first film made for IMAX movie ever produced in Southeast Asia and in 2024, it will be one of only five films made for IMAX productions worldwide. Producer Manoj Punjabi is Indonesia’s most successful film and TV producer, and is the founder of MD Pictures, the country’s largest film company. Punjabi has produced 168 movies, including five of the biggest all-time local box office hits in Indonesia, including SEWU DINO and KKN DI DESA PENARI.
