DANCING VILLAGE: THE CURSE BEGINS – An Interview With Director Kimo Stamboel

April 29, 2024

Introduction

Dancing Village: The Curse Begins is a prequel to KKN di DesaPenari (2022), the highest-grossing Indonesian film in history when it was released. This new film is the first film made for IMAX movie ever produced in Southeast Asia. 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 founded MD Pictures, the country’s largest film company. Punjabi has produced one-hundred sixty-eight movies, including five of Indonesia’s biggest all-time local box office hits, among them Sewu Dino (2023) and KKN di Desa Penari.

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 to 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.

Interview

Cinema Scholars’ own Glen Dower sat down with director Kimo Stamboel to discuss his new horror/thriller Dancing Village: The Curse Begins. They spoke about why Kimo wanted to do a prequel and not a sequel, how to keep horror films fresh and original, and the benefits (and drawbacks) of filming in IMAX, among other topics.

(Edited for content and clarity)

Glen Dower:

Kimo Stamboel, how are you, Sir?

Kimo Stamboel:

I’m good, Glen. How are you?

Glen Dower:

I’m very, very well. Let’s talk about your new film Dancing Village, The Curse Begins. A prequel, of course. Why did the series go down the prequel route instead of perhaps a sequel or a side-quel?

Kimo Stamboel:

I think that’s the producer’s idea to make this prequel or a type of spin-off. Because this is telling a story about a completely different set of characters. Only a few of them were involved in the first one and I think the producer made a creative decision. It’s more unique to tell this side of the story because it’s set in the 1980s, and the author has created such a remarkable story within the source material. I have never had a movie on that sort of scale and within that timeline. It’s very interesting for me.

Glen Dower:

The first film was so rich with different horror tropes. We had jump scares, we had body horror, we had witchcraft, we had possession. All those things kept you on the edge of your seat, for sure. How did you keep the horror fresh for the prequel?

Kimo Stamboel:

I think that it’s a different treatment of the storyline. Second, the treatment is so different. Even though the first one had those elements. But right now, we made it lesser in terms of craziness. It’s because the story is about this young lady who wants to rescue their mom, and we have to treat it differently. But I cannot go that far. Because from the very first thought, the producers also wanted me to make a PG-13 film. That introduced limitations and boundaries, so I cannot go that far. But I think it still has a lot of stuff that will interest the general audience. Definitely for horror fans.

Glen Dower:

There are through lines, Easter Eggs, and the introduction of concepts that are explored in the original film. I enjoyed the introduction of ‘the sweet coffee’…

Kimo Stamboel:

Yeah!

Glen Dower:

I thought uh-oh, the sweet coffee’s back. And the little details like the white eyes. How much fun did you have with those tie-ins and story threads? If you watch the prequel first, for example, they’ll get a payoff in the sequel/original?

Kimo Stamboel:

Yes, yes, yes. That’s pretty fun. But also very challenging to make that. Because in the first one, they don’t go deep into the story. And then the second one, when I directed and got into the project, I went deeper with the author’s work. To know what’s the meaning of that and the meaning of this. But it’s a kind of give and take. We went for the little details that mattered in the first one and gave it a nostalgic feeling towards the second one.

Glen Dower:

I also noted from the press material that the film is made for IMAX. What were the limitations and opportunities given to you in the filmmaking process because of this choice?

Kimo Stamboel:

First of all, when I took on this project, I thought ‘OK, we need to elevate this somehow’. We discussed it and the idea of IMAX came up between the producer and me. And said ‘OK, is it possible to do a film for IMAX’? Then they just researched it and came up with the quotes, and production notes and had all the meetings. And I think with that, we decided this is right for IMAX. Why don’t we push it? You know, let’s go, let’s do it, let’s do it! And thankfully the producers were very supportive, and I got the first IMAX film made in Southeast Asia! Very exciting for us.

Glen Dower:

History in the making. I’d like to talk about some of your directing contributions to the film. With the title Dancing Village, how involved are you as a director in choreographing those dance scenes, and various writhing scenes?

Kimo Stamboel:

We do have a great choreographer. A pretty senior choreographer that we have on our crew. And one thing that I wanted is the authentic culture from the stories originated, which is East Java. And in East Java, there are probably hundreds of cultural dances in Indonesia. I also asked the author which area exactly and the other specifics, and we got it. Thankfully, our choreographer knew the material as we needed it to be authentic. So what you guys see is very authentic. East Javanese dancing culture and the clothing and costumes are very specific to the area. But I was involved in making everything as authentic and as detailed as we could.

Glen Dower:

The physical atmosphere also really contributes to those scenes; the tangible, overbearing humidity, the mist, the sticky, the sweaty air. Were those conditions created or in place on location?

Kimo Stamboel:

Those conditions were there. The story is set in East Java and we were able to shoot in Central Java but the vibe is there and the climate is the same. The environments are the same so we wanted, again, to be authentic in building that world. And even the spot which is there in number one does have the same mystical element that we needed. But when we started the pre-production, when we scouted for location, and we went back to where the first movie was being shot, that feeling could not be replaced.

And at the end of the day, we decided, let’s just shoot here and give it a little of my touch and our production designer’s touch to make it more 1980s or more 1950s in the stories. So yes, I think that the atmospheric element is really important for me. And thankfully, we got that!

Glen Dower:

One final question. You have helped create a great horror villainess of cinema. Are we looking at a franchise?

Kimo Stamboel:

Oh, I don’t know, man. I mean, it could be something. But I think if it’s a franchise, it needs something in that particular area or that particular country to have the root of it. Maybe the franchise can be a basis of the story that’s specific. Maybe it has to have some kind of adjustment but still shoot in the same location. We’ll see.

Aulia Sarah in “Dancing Village: The Curse Begins” (2024). Photo courtesy of Lionsgate.

Glen Dower:

The possibilities are endless. Well, thank you so much for your time, Kimo and I really enjoyed your film, and I’m sure horror fans amongst our readers will too.

Kimo Stamboel:

Thank you so much, Glen.

The gripping horror/thriller Dancing Village: The Curse Begins (International title: Badarawuhi Di Desa Penari) directed by Kimo Stamboel (The Queen Of Black Magic) will be released in select theaters in the US on Friday, April 26.

DANCING VILLAGE: THE CURSE BEGINS – An Interview With Director Kimo Stamboel

Introduction

Synopsis

Interview

Glen Dower:

Kimo Stamboel:

Glen Dower:

Kimo Stamboel:

Glen Dower:

Kimo Stamboel:

Glen Dower:

Kimo Stamboel:

Glen Dower:

Kimo Stamboel:

Glen Dower:

Kimo Stamboel:

Glen Dower:

Kimo Stamboel:

Glen Dower:

Kimo Stamboel:

Glen Dower:

Kimo Stamboel:

Glen Dower:

Kimo Stamboel:

The gripping horror/thriller Dancing Village: The Curse Begins (International title: Badarawuhi Di Desa Penari) directed by Kimo Stamboel (The Queen Of Black Magic) will be released in select theaters in the US on Friday, April 26.

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