In Indonesian filmmaker Joko Anwar's Berlinale Forum entry "Ghost in the Cell," societal anxieties about systemic corruption, environmental destruction, and judicial inequality are channelled through supernatural horror elements to create a prison-set thriller that treats its genre as a tool for social commentary rather than mere entertainment.
The film tells the story of inmates at an Indonesian correctional facility whose fragile power structures fracture when a new prisoner arrives with a vengeful supernatural entity that hunts those with the darkest aura. As the body count rises, survival depends on collective action among the incarcerated population. Anwar used the prison setting as a laboratory to explore societal hierarchies, stating, "A prison is like a miniature of society and mirrors hierarchy, power dynamics, fear, violence, and morality in one confined space with politeness stripped out."
Environmental destruction and judicial inequality are woven into the narrative fabric rather than treated as background elements. Anwar's approach is to treat the supernatural presence as an active agent, giving it intent, intelligence, and limits. "The ghost was never meant to represent an idea," he notes. "It has its own agenda, shaped by trauma and injustice, delivering consequences rather than moral comfort."
To manage the large ensemble cast within the volatile prison environment, Anwar developed detailed backstories for every character, including day players, and conducted group rehearsals that mirrored the film's factional dynamics. The tonal balancing act proved crucial in mixing violence, satire, and uncomfortable humor, with Anwar stating, "Humor doesn't release tension; it sharpens it. Laughter should come with discomfort. If the audience laughs and then immediately questions why they did, the tone is working."
Anwar's intention is to make international audiences recognize these systems as uncomfortably familiar rather than exotic, aligning with Forum's reputation for championing formally ambitious and politically challenging cinema. He hopes viewers leave questioning institutional complicity, asking themselves who the system is designed to protect, and why we're so comfortable letting corruption or destruction become normal.
"Ghost in the Cell" represents a collaboration between Anwar, producer Tia Hasibuan, and international studios Rapi Films, Barunson E&A, and Legacy Pictures. The ensemble cast includes Abimana Aryasatya, Lukman Sardi, Bront Palarae, Aming, Rio Dewanto, Morgan Oey, and Tora Sudiro. Worldwide sales of the project are handled by Barunson E&A as part of a two-year agreement with Come and See Pictures.
The film tells the story of inmates at an Indonesian correctional facility whose fragile power structures fracture when a new prisoner arrives with a vengeful supernatural entity that hunts those with the darkest aura. As the body count rises, survival depends on collective action among the incarcerated population. Anwar used the prison setting as a laboratory to explore societal hierarchies, stating, "A prison is like a miniature of society and mirrors hierarchy, power dynamics, fear, violence, and morality in one confined space with politeness stripped out."
Environmental destruction and judicial inequality are woven into the narrative fabric rather than treated as background elements. Anwar's approach is to treat the supernatural presence as an active agent, giving it intent, intelligence, and limits. "The ghost was never meant to represent an idea," he notes. "It has its own agenda, shaped by trauma and injustice, delivering consequences rather than moral comfort."
To manage the large ensemble cast within the volatile prison environment, Anwar developed detailed backstories for every character, including day players, and conducted group rehearsals that mirrored the film's factional dynamics. The tonal balancing act proved crucial in mixing violence, satire, and uncomfortable humor, with Anwar stating, "Humor doesn't release tension; it sharpens it. Laughter should come with discomfort. If the audience laughs and then immediately questions why they did, the tone is working."
Anwar's intention is to make international audiences recognize these systems as uncomfortably familiar rather than exotic, aligning with Forum's reputation for championing formally ambitious and politically challenging cinema. He hopes viewers leave questioning institutional complicity, asking themselves who the system is designed to protect, and why we're so comfortable letting corruption or destruction become normal.
"Ghost in the Cell" represents a collaboration between Anwar, producer Tia Hasibuan, and international studios Rapi Films, Barunson E&A, and Legacy Pictures. The ensemble cast includes Abimana Aryasatya, Lukman Sardi, Bront Palarae, Aming, Rio Dewanto, Morgan Oey, and Tora Sudiro. Worldwide sales of the project are handled by Barunson E&A as part of a two-year agreement with Come and See Pictures.
and I'm still reeling from it... The way Joko Anwar uses supernatural horror to comment on systemic corruption, environmental destruction, and judicial inequality is really thought-provoking 
. I love how he treats the genre as a tool for social commentary rather than just entertainment - it's like you're watching a psychological thriller that also makes you think about the state of society 
. The ensemble cast is huge, but Anwar has done a great job of giving each character depth and backstory, even the smaller players 
. What really got me was how he balances tone to make the film uncomfortable yet engaging... it's like laughing with discomfort 
. As someone who loves cinema that challenges the status quo, I think this film is going to resonate with audiences worldwide 
.
i love how he created this prison setting where everyone's power structures fracture when that new prisoner arrives... it's like, society mirrors itself in this tiny space with all the same issues 
. anwar's intention is to make us question our complicity in these systems... i'm totally here for that 
!
It's like the filmmakers are saying that corruption, environmental destruction, and inequality aren't just issues on paper, they're real monsters living among us.
.
. And can we talk about how he balances tone? It's not always easy to mix violence, satire, and humor but he makes it work 
. I love how he wants international audiences to recognize these systems as uncomfortably familiar and make us question who the system is designed to protect 
.
Overall, I think "Ghost in the Cell" is shaping up to be a game-changer 
. i love how anwar made this movie feel super uncomfortable, but also kinda funny at times 
.
]
Systematic corruption & inequality = Prison of the Mind 
]
i mean, using horror elements to tackle corruption and inequality is genius, it's like he's saying "yeah, this stuff is super uncomfortable, but let's face it" 
the way he balances tone is also on point, it's not for everyone but that's what makes it so impactful 
. Joko Anwar is killing it with how he weaves together these dark themes of corruption, environmental destruction, and judicial inequality into a supernatural thriller. The way he uses the prison setting to mirror societal hierarchies and power dynamics is so on point 
. The cast is also super talented, I mean, who knew Abimana Aryasatya could do so much drama 
.
. I'm totally invested in the story now, can't wait to watch it! 
. I love how he balances violence, satire, and humor - it sounds like a wild ride 
. Let's get this movie out there and spark some conversations about systemic corruption, environmental destruction, and judicial inequality 
!
. It's not just about scaring you, it's about making you uncomfortable and questioning the system 
. It's not just about entertainment, it's about making you see things from a different perspective 
.
the way he weaves these themes into the narrative is genius and i love how he made each character have their own backstory to manage that huge ensemble cast 
. What I'm most impressed by is how the prison setting becomes this mini-society that mirrors our real world problems 
️
the supernatural entity is literally just a manifestation of how messed up our societies are 
i mean, who needs ghosts when u got institutional inequality and environmental disasters to keep u company? 
also the casting is on point, but can we talk about how uncomfortable the humor is? it's like they're trying to make us laugh while also screaming in our faces