News

The Asia Contents Awards & Global Ott Awards, co-hosted by the Ministry of Science and Ict and Busan Metropolitan City, and co-organized by the Busan International Film Festival and the National It Industry Promotion Agency, opened grandly with actors Kang Ki-young and Tiffany Young as hosts, and performances by Nerd Connection and Tri.Be added to the festive atmosphere.

Blossoms Shanghai

First, in the Best Creative category, which recognizes works that contribute to the diversification of content through innovative ideas and fresh formats, director Wong Kar-wai’s first feature series Blossoms Shanghai was honored with the award. Hu Ge, the lead actor of Blossoms Shanghai, also won Best Lead Actor (Male), making the series a double winner. Imperfect Us, the most nominated work this year, earned two awards: Ariel Lin for Best Lead Actor (Female) and Tanya Chua’s “Learn to Live Again” for Best Original Song, a newly introduced category. The People’s Choice Award,...

Top prizes at Busan’s Asia Contents Awards & Global Ott Awards today went to Wong Kar-wai’s first feature series Blossoms Shanghai and Coupang Play’s Boyhood.

Blossoms Shanghai won the Best Creative prize and the series’ Hu Ge won Best Lead Actor (Male). Coupang Play’s Boyhood won Best Ott Original.

Best Director went to Indonesian co-directors Kamila Andini and Ifa Isfansyah for Cigarette Girl.

Imperfect Us, the most nominated work at this year’s awards, received two prizes: Best Lead Actor (Female) for Ariel Lin and Best Original Song for Tanya Chua’s “Learn to Live Again.”

The newly-introduced People’s Choice Award went to Byeon Woo-seok and Kim Hyeyoon from Lovely Runner after receiving approximately 600,000 votes from global viewers via Kinolights.

Netflix’s Mask Girl won Best Supporting Actor awards for both Ahn Jae-hong and Yeom Hye-ran.

The Best Writer honors were awarded to Ju Hwa-mi for The Atypical Family,...

Chinese drama series Blossoms Shanghai scooped two top prizes at the Asia Contents Awards & Global Ott Awards in Busan tonight (October 6).

The series, which marks the first foray into TV for auteur director Wong Kar-wai, won the best creative award for “the most outstanding work” as well as the best lead actor (male) prize for Hu Ge, who plays a self-made millionaire in 1990s Shanghai. The series was released on China’s Tencent Video streaming platform.

Scroll down for full list of winners

Further top prizes went to Coupang Play’s South Korean series Boyhood, which won best Ott original,...

Chinese drama series Blossoms Shanghai scooped two top prizes at the Asia Contents Awards & Global Ott Awards in Busan tonight (October 6).

The series, which marks the first foray into TV for auteur director Wong Kar-wai, won the best creative award for “the most outstanding work” as well as the best lead actor (male) prize for Hu Ge, who plays a self-made millionaire in 1990s Shanghai. The series was released on China’s Tencent Video streaming platform.

Scroll down for full list of winners

Further top prizes went to Coupang Play’s South Korean series Boyhood, which won best Ott original,...

Wong Kar-wai’s series debut “Blossoms Shanghai” won two of the top awards at the Busan International Film Festival‘s sixth annual Asia Contents Awards and Global Ott (streaming) Awards on Sunday. The Tencent Video Chinese series won best creative and best male lead actor for Hu Ge.

Kamila Andini and Ifa Isfansyah won best director for Indonesian Netflix series “Cigarette Girl.” The best female lead actor award went to Ariel Lin for Pts Taiwan’s “Imperfect Us.”

Coupang Play’s Korean show “Boyhood” won best Ott original. Salem Entertainment’s “1286” from Kazakhstan won the best Asian contents award.

Ahn Jaehong and Yeom Hye-ran won the male and female supporting actor awards respectively for Netflix’s Korean show “Mask Girl.” The best male acting newcomer award was shared by Chae Jong-heop for TBS Television’s Japanese show “Eye Love You” and Kim Yo-han for Netflix’s Korean series “A Killer Paradox.

Netflix showcased its Korean film slate for the coming year at an event in Busan, including Lost In Starlight, the first Korean-language animated feature to be produced by the streamer.

Directors from seven films set to release on the platform next year attended the event, held during Busan International Film Festival, to discuss their upcoming projects.

Lost In Starlight will mark the feature debut of director Han Ji-won and follows the long-distance relationship between an astronaut, voiced by Kim Tae-ri of The Handmaiden, and a musician, voiced by Hong Kyung of TV’s Revenant.

Also on the slate is Revelations,...

Toby Stephens & Umi Myers Lead Māori Gothic Horror ‘Mārama’

Toby Stephens and Uni Myers are starring in Māori Gothic horror Mārama, which has also cast Ariāna Osborne in a lead role. Shooting on the gender-bending film is underway in New Zealand, which is known as Aotearoa in the Māori language. Set in North Yorkshire in Victorian England in 1859, the film follows a young Māori woman’s fight to reclaim her identity and indigenous culture. It comes from Māori writer-director Taratoa Stappard and also features Erroll Shand and Jordan Mooney. Sharlene George, Co-CEO and founding Partner of international production company The Sweetshop, is producing. Rickylee Russell-Waipuka and Rouzie Hassanova are also producing with Paraone Gloyne as Māori language and culture producer. Executive Producers include Victoria Dabbs and Gal Greenspan for Sweetshop Entertainment,...

Indonesia’s Base Entertainment has added Ho Wi Ding’s family drama Mothernet to its slate, an Indonesia-Singapore co-production that brings together top talents from the Southeast Asian region.

The feature, now in production, is also backed by Indonesia’s Beacon Film, Singapore-based Refinery Media and Hong Kong’s Jem Productions. The cast is headed by celebrated Indonesian actors Dian Sastrowardoyo of hit Netflix series Cigarette Girl, who is also producing through Beacon Film, Ringgo Agus Rahman (Falling In Love Like In Movies) and rising star Ali Fikri (24 Hours with Gaspar).

Set in the near future, the story follows...

Production is under way on “Mothernet,” a drama film that examines the growing relationship between humans and technology. Ho Wi Ding, whose “Pinoy Sunday” and “Cities of Last Things” won multiple prizes, is in the director’s chair.

Set in Indonesia’s near future, “Mothernet” is a poignant family drama centered around 16-year-old Rama who is trying to navigate life after a tragic accident leaves his mother in a coma. With the help of an artificial intelligence (AI) program, Rama and his father embark on a journey of reconnection and healing, according to a supplied synopsis.

Indonesian actors Dian Sastrowardoyo (Netflix series “Cigarette Girl”) and Ringgo Agus Rahman (“Falling in Love Like in Movies”), portray the adult leads. Rising star Ali Fikri (“24 Hours with Gaspar”) plays the youngster.

“Mothernet” is being shot mainly on location in Indonesia, with its virtual scenes to be shot in Singapore, at the X3D Studio...

Busan International Film Festival has revealed the full line-up for its 29th edition, which will open with the world premiere of Netflix period drama Uprising, produced and co-written by Park Chan-wook, and close with Eric Khoo’s Spirit World, starring Catherine Deneuve.

At a press conference in Seoul today (September 3), it was also announced that Japanese auteur Kiyoshi Kurosawa will receive the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award, while organisers addressed ongoing funding challenges facing the festival.

Uprising marks the first time a streaming title has been set as the opening feature of Asia’s largest film festival. The South...

Korea’s Busan International Film Festival has unveiled the full program of its 29th edition, which will open with the world premiere of Uprising, produced and co-written by Park Chan-wook, and close with Spirit World, starring Catherine Deneuve and directed by Singapore’s Eric Khoo.

Directed by Kim Sang-Man, Uprising marks Park’s first collaboration with Netflix. Gang Dong-won and Park Jeong-min star in the period epic, which Park co-scripted with Shin Chul, about two childhood friends who are turned into bitter adversaries.

Spirit World stars Deneuve as a legendary singer who flies to Japan for a final sold-out concert after which she embarks on an unexpected life in the spirit world with one of her biggest fans as her guide. Masaaki Sakai also stars in the film, a France-Singapore-Japan co-production that is being sold internationally by Goodfellas.

Busan also announced that Japanese filmmaker Kiyoshi Kurosawa has been named Asian Filmmaker Of The Year.

Streaming Sensations

The Busan International Film Festival‘s sixth annual Asia Contents Awards and Global Ott Awards has revealed its nominees across 11 competitive categories.

Pts Taiwan’s “Imperfect Us” leads with five nominations, followed by Indonesian Netflix series “Cigarette Girl” with four. Wong Kar-wai‘s series debut “Blossoms Shanghai” (Tencent Video) and Korea’s “A Killer Paradox” (Netflix) each have three nods. Other multiple nominees include Korea’s “Daily Dose of Sunshine” (Netflix) and “Lovely Runner” (Cj Enm Studios/Bon Factory) and Thai Prime Video series “Enigma” (Gmmtv).

The best lead actor (male) category sees Hu Ge (“Blossoms Shanghai”), Yim Si-wan (“Boyhood”), Choi Woo-shik (“A Killer Paradox”), Wu Kang Ren (“Living”), Cho Jin-woong (“No way Out: The Roulette”) and Sakai Masato (“Vivant”) competing for the award.

For best lead actor (female), nominees include Dian Sastrowardoyo (“Cigarette Girl”), Park Bo-young (“Daily Dose Of Sunshine”), Nikaido Fumi (“Eye Love You”), Ariel Lin...

Award-winning Malaysian filmmaker Woo Ming Jin has wrapped principal photography on his latest film, “The Fox King,” the producers revealed at the Cannes Film Festival.

Set in a coastal Malaysian town in the early 2000s, “The Fox King” tells the story of Ali and Amir, inseparable fraternal twins with a telepathic bond. The brothers are forced to fend for themselves when their father abandons them after remarrying a younger bride. The arrival of a new teacher, Lara, tests their brotherly bond.

The film is headlined by Indonesian star Dian Sastrowardoyo (Netflix’s “Cigarette Girl”) alongside Idan Aedan (“Blood Flower”), Amerul Affendi (“I.D.”), Chew Kin Wah (“Rain Town”) and newcomer Hadi Putra.

“The Fox King” participated in the Tokyo gap financing market and the QCinema project market in 2023. The film is a Sunstrong Entertainment (Venice selection “Snow in Midsummer”) production in collaboration with fellow Malaysian companies Greenlight Pictures and Da Huang Pictures...

Barunson E&a, the Korean sales and production firm behind Palme d’Or-winner Parasite, has closed a raft of sales on upcoming Indonesian horror Respati.

The feature has been picked up for North America by Well Go USA, Exponenta Film for Cis and the Baltics, and with Asian distributors for Taiwan (MovieCloud), Vietnam (Mockingbird Pictures) and Mongolia (Filmbridge).

Base Entertainment, which produced the film, closed further deals for Singapore (Clover Films), Malaysia and Cambodia (Purple Plan).

The story centres on a teenager with the ability to enter other people’s dreams, where he witnesses a murderous dark spirit and quickly connects...

Exclusive: Ratu Adil has been marked as a tentpole series in the burgeoning Indonesian streaming market, and here’s an exclusive clip ahead of the action series’ release.

The eight-episode crime drama is launching on local streamer Vidio tomorrow (February 29) and stars Dian Sastrowardoyo, fresh off her leading role in Netflix’s global hit Cigarette Girl, with prolific filmmaker Timo Tjahjanto as producer. The series also stars Nino Fernandez and Hana Malasan.

In a time where American streamers like Disney+ and Amazon’s Prime Video have sharply cut back on original content production in Indonesia, an important spotlight has grown on homegrown streamers such as Vidio, and how they can fill the gap.

Ratu Adil tells the story of a housewife named Lasja Seoryo (played by Sastrowardoyo) seeking to protect her family from Jakarta’s ‘9 Dragons’ mafia. The clip sees Lasja engaged in a life-or-death shoot out in a dimly-lit corridor,...

Prime Video might be pulling back from Southeast Asian originals, but Netflix remains is doubling down on originals in the region.

The streamer has unveiled several titles from Indonesia and Thailand, and a Chinese-language slate for 2024.

One of the bigger titles on the streamer’s Indonesian slate is sci-fi series Nightmares and Daydreams, which marks Netflix’s first collaboration with Joko Anwar.

Anwar’s horror films are often well-received at the box office, with Satan’s Slaves and its sequel both in the top 10 list for highest-grossing films in the country.

Director Timo Tjahjanto will return with action film The Shadow Strays, after making comedy action flick The Big 4 in 2022, which became the second most-watched non-English film on the streamer. The Shadow Strays will star Ario Bayu, Lukman Sardi, Marissa Anita, Nirina Zubir, Sita Nursanti, Fachri Albar and Asmara Abigail.

The Indonesian slate also includes Borderless Fog, which stars Putri Marino,...

Barunson E&a, the production company behind Korean Oscar-winner “Parasite,” is investing in Base Entertainment’s upcoming Indonesian horror film “Respati.” The Korean company will also take on worldwide sales duties and pre-sell rights at the upcoming European Film Market in Berlin.

“Respati” tells the story of a teenager with the ability to enter other people’s dreams. When he witnesses a dark spirit taking people’s lives in their dreams, he quickly realizes that it’s related to the mysterious deaths that are happening in the real world.

The film is currently in post-production and aiming for a theatrical release in May this year.

“Respati” is directed by Sidharta Tata, an up-and-coming director who ranked fifth at 2023 Indonesian local box office with his directorial debut “Waktu Maghrib.” His most recent film “Ali Topan” premiered at the Busan International Film Festival later last year and is set to release on Feb.

South Korean producer Barunson E&a is to invest in upcoming Indonesian horror film Respati and has secured worldwide sales rights to the feature ahead of the European Film Market (EFM).

It marks the second investment in a non-Korean title by the company since expanding into international co-production, financing and sales in October 2022. The first was Indonesian action feature 13 Bombs, produced by Jakarta-based Visinema, which screened at Rotterdam earlier this week.

Barunson E&a, which is known as the producer of Oscar-winner Parasite and Kim Je-woon’s black comedy Cobweb, will begin pre-sales of Respati at the EFM, which begins...

Following what happened in the US during the last decade or so, the quality of Asian dramas has skyrocketed during the last few years, with a significant surge of talent from cinema towards streaming platforms, with Korea definitely paving the way in the regard, and Japan following. The result is quite impressive to watch, since, frequently, the level of these titles is equal to the one of movies.

Without further ado, here are 20 Asian dramas in random order proving the fact in the most eloquent fashion.

1. Cigarette Girl by Kamila Andini

“Cigarette Girl” is not a typical story of two broken hearts crushed by unfortunate circumstances, a trope over-used in the soap opera format. It also has a bit of history to offer alongside a basic insight into the women's hardships in Indonesia not such long time ago. “Your duty is to clean the house and find yourself a husband...

Created by Sashti Nandani, and co-directed by Kamila Andini and Ifa Isfansyah, the five-episode series opens with flashbacks of a terminally ill Soeraja (Pritt Timothy) is visited by, and who ends up pleading his son Lebas (Arya Saloka) to find a woman called Jeng Jah (Dian Sastrowardoyo). The lad is given a tin jar which contains a key to a safe in his grandfather's office, but when he gets there, his only clues become an old photograph showing a big group of people, and a bunch of letters written to Soeraja by Dasiyah that happens to be Jeng Jah's second name.

Follow our tribute to Netflix by clicking on the image below

Based on the eponymous best-selling novel written by Ratih Kumala, the Netflix series “Cigarette Girl” is one of the most interesting shows currently showing on the popular streaming platforms, vintage not only in terms of the era it plays in,...

Stories about fine-dining chefs, tobacco artisans and detective bloggers have burst into life on screens across Southeast Asia. Streaming giants in the region are increasingly placing their series bets on creators armed with a glittering list of prizes from the international festival circuit, and independent filmmakers and producers are making high-production-value shows with small-to-midrange budgets. The result? A veritable “prestige TV” wave on streamers. It’s a development sure to drive chatter at the Asia TV Forum & Market, which is part of the larger Singapore Media Festival umbrella running from Nov. 30 to Dec. 10.

After winning awards at the Berlin and Toronto festivals, Indonesian director Kamila Andini has kept busy with the Netflix series Cigarette Girl and the Amazon film 4 Seasons in Java. An ambitious period drama revolving around Indonesia’s clove cigarette industry in the 1960s, Cigarette Girl has ranked on Netflix’s global top 10 list for non-English series for two consecutive weeks,...

Dian Sastrowardoyo has played the character of Dasiyah in the mini-series Cigarette Girl streaming on Netflix. The actor has done justice to the character, which can also be compared to other strong female characters like Gal Gadot in Wonder Woman, Uma Thurman in Kill Bill, and others. Dasiyah’s feminine aura is enough to threaten the mental peace of the men around her. Her independent nature makes her stand out from the other women in the series. Is the character able to attain the fame that she deserves as a flavor maker? Will her tragic life send out a message to us? There are many questions that are answered by the directors, Kamila Andini and Ifa Isfansyah, through the character of Dasiyah in the series.

Spoilers Ahead

How Ambitious Was Dasiyah?

Dasiyah has been portrayed as a very ambitious character who dreams of becoming one of the most famous flavor-makers in her city.

Ario Bayu has been rightly chosen for the character of Soeraja in the series Cigarette Girl, currently streaming on Netflix. His amazing acting skills have done justice to the complex character of Raja. We are left wondering whether the character can be categorized as black or white. But the character falls mostly on the gray spectrum, with a mix of good and bad. We are compelled to believe that the character is clear-hearted, but when he makes certain life decisions, we start questioning his love for Dasiyah. What is Raja’s real identity? Why does he betray Dasiyah? Answers to these questions can only be found if we explore Raja’s character further.

Spoilers Ahead

What Did Raja Feel For Dasiyah?

Raja, a man of huge stature, is spotted fighting some miscreants on the streets by Dasiyah. The way he looks at her makes her feel wanted, and she convinces her father,...

What a wonderful job the directors of Cigarette Girl, Kamila Andini, and Ifa Isfansyah have done! The Indonesian mini-series has recently been trending on Netflix. The plot builds around the tragic life of a talented craftsperson, Dasiah. She has been seeking an outlet for her talent in traditional Indonesian culture. The skills of a woman in the cigarette industry are not welcome at the time in which the story is set. How she manages to overcome all the obstacles and stick to her passion has been portrayed efficiently in Cigarette Girl series. Her failed love life adds to the tragic story of her life. The main characters have been portrayed by skilled actors like Dian Sastrowardoyo, Putri Marino, Ariyo Bayu, and others. The five-part miniseries has a solid plot and is nothing like you have ever experienced! It remains a matter of concern to the audience as to whether Dasiah...

Netflix is nothing if not a goldmine of content, with basically something to watch for everyone, and today we are making a list of the best new shows coming to Netflix in November 2023 that you can watch in the upcoming month. The TV shows in this list are ranked according to their availability dates.

Six Feet Under Seasons 1-5 (November 1)

Synopsis: When death is your business, what is your life? From Oscar(R)-winning screenwriter Alan Ball (‘American Beauty’) comes this award-winning HBO drama series that takes a darkly comic look at a dysfunctional L.A. family that runs a funeral business. With Peter Krause, Frances Conroy, Michael C. Hall, Lauren Ambrose and Rachel Griffiths.

All the Light We Cannot See Season 1 (November 2)

Synopsis: Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, All The Light We Cannot See is a groundbreaking limited series that follows the story of Marie-Laure, a blind French girl and her father,...

Cigarette Girl is a series based on the noivel by Ratih Kumala, starring Dian Sastrowardoyo and Ario Bayu.

If you fancy a compelling love story across time – one that overcomes obstacles and endures for decades – this is the story for you. It follows two individuals who meet in a business setting and, as they fall in love, must navigate societal norms and differences to either come together or part ways.

This series encapsulates an era and a unique perspective on life, quite different from today’s. It pays significant tribute to ancestors and family, while also showcasing exceptional aesthetic and cinematic qualities. If you enjoy sentimental stories with love spanning across years, “Cigarette Girl” is an excellent series to consider.

Cigarette Girl About the series:

Above all, “Cigarette Girl” excels in its meticulous reconstruction of an era and its profound respect for its characters. Whether you agree with its stylistic approach and screenplay or not,...

The latest feature from David Fincher, a big-budget drama series from Steven Knight and Shawn Levy, and an Oscar hopeful starring Annette Bening and Jodie Foster are among the standout new additions hitting Netflix in November.

With The Killer, Fincher reteams with Seven writer Andrew Kevin Walker to adapt the graphic novel written by Alexis Nolent. The film, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival this year and debuts on Netflix on Nov. 10, stars Michael Fassbender as a shadowy unnamed assassin and features a cast that includes Arliss Howard, Charles Parnell, Gabriel Polanco, Kerry O’Malley, Emiliano Pernía, Sala Baker, Sophie Charlotte and Tilda Swinton.

The Hollywood Reporter‘s review of The Killer described the film as “a satisfyingly retro, location-hopping genre exercise with fisticuffs, gadgets (albeit ones bought from Amazon) and smooth-talking antagonists that all plays like a tongue-in-cheek spoof of James Bond movies.”

All the Light We Cannot See...

Netflix’s slate for November 2023 has much to offer as the transition from Halloween to Thanksgiving and eventually Christmas begins. Many favorite movies such as Jennifer Garner’s “13 Going on 30” and “The Big Lebowski” arrive Nov. 1, while Garner’s new movie “The Family Switch” rounds out the month when it arrives on the streamer Nov. 30. Other can’t-miss film arrivals on November first include “Whiplash,” “Sixteen Candles,” “The Social Network” and “Pitch Perfect.”

Several new seasons of Netflix shows arrive this month as well, the most highly anticipated of which might be “The Crown” Season 6 Part 1. The first half of the final season of the royal drama series arrives Nov. 16. The limited series adaptation of “All the Light We Cannot See” by Shawn Levy and Steven Knight launches November 2. Levy directed all four episodes of the epic drama series, adapted from the Pulitzer prize-winning novel by Anthony Doerr.

November on Netflix is peppered with curiosities for just about everyone. This month will see the long-awaited adaptation of Anthony Doerr’s award-winning novel All the Light We Cannot See hit the streamer. Directed by Shawn Levy (The Adam Project) and starring Mark Ruffalo, the limited series will tell the emotional story of a blind French girl who meets a German soldier in the final days of WWII.

Elsewhere, Netflix will unveil its first expansion of its planned Squid Game universe with an actual competition show that will challenge 456 players to be the final winner of no less than $4.56 million. Squid Game: The Challenge will feature games recreated from the hit 2021 show, hopefully with a comparatively zero chance of death for the contestants!

For those who are awaiting the return of their favorite Netflix shows in a more fictional capacity, however, we can confirm that Selling Sunset season seven, The Tailor season three,...

Choose your own adventure this November on Netflix! With its latest collection of well-knowns and well-loveds like “The Big Lebowski” or HBO’s dark dramedy “Six Feet Under,” the streamer will add dozens of new originals, documentaries, animes, family films, and more.

Catch up on your reading list with a miniseries adaptation of a Pulitzer winner, David Fincher’s take on a French graphic novel series, or an anime entry into the “Scott Pilgrim” franchise. Or, if reality is strange enough, journey through history— from American civil rights leaders with the Colman Domingo-led “Rustin” to British monarchs in the final season of Netflix’s jewel “The Crown.”

Check out The Streamable’s top picks for what’s new in November on Netflix, and then continue below to see the full list of everything that’s getting added to the platform this month!

Sign Up $6.99+ / month netflix.com What are...

Elizabeth Debicki in ‘The Crown’ Season 6 (Photo Credit: Netflix)

Netflix’s November 2023 lineup of new films and TV series includes the premiere of the sixth season of the critically acclaimed drama The Crown and the debut of the wild action comedy Obliterated. Also joining the November lineup are All the Light We Cannot See, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and directed by Shawn Levy, as well as the streaming service’s first-ever live sports event.

Additional November highlights include Virgin River season five part two, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, The Killer, Rustin, and Blue Eye Samurai.

Netflix’s November 2023 Lineup:

11/1/23

Hurricane Season (Film) – When a group of kids finds a corpse floating in a canal, the brutal reality behind the perverse crime unravels a town’s hidden secrets.

Locked In (Film) – A kindly nurse tries to unlock the secrets of a coma patient’s injuries — and discovers the bitter rivalry,...

Acclaimed film-making duo Kamila Andini and Ifa Isfansyah take a calculatedly side-on approach to Indonesian societal history in “Cigarette Girl,” a new Netflix series that releases on Nov.1 and which premiered its first episodes at the Busan International Film Festival earlier this month.

Starting with a wealthy family about to lose its aging patriarch in 2001, the series uses flashbacks to the 1960s to uncover not only the origins of the family’s herbal cigarette or ‘Kretek’ fortune, but also the hidden romance underlying it. And it highlights the overbearing and only slowly changing societal pressures placed on women, from high and low ranks, even as Indonesian politics and government underwent tectonic shifts.

Ahead of the Busan premiere Andini and Isfansyah told Variety how their lush and romantic treatment is both a product of changing society and a way of facing up to recent Indonesian history.

Watch the new trailer here:...

Indonesian filmmakers Kamila Andini and Ifa Isfansyah are making their Netflix debut with five-part series Cigarette Girl (Gadis Kretek), which streams worldwide from November 2.

Deadline sat down with the husband-and-wife filmmaking team, both award-winning arthouse directors in their own right, in Busan International Film Festival, where the first few episodes of the series world premiered as part of the festival’s Indonesia Special Program.

Based on Ratih Kumala’s novel ‘Gadis Kretek’, the story spans two time periods – in the 1960s, the daughter of a family business producing Indonesia’s world-famous clove cigarettes struggles to make her mark in a male-dominated industry, while in the early 2000s, a young man is searching for a mystery woman to fulfil his father’s dying wish.

Dian Sastrowardoyo and Ario Bayu, both big stars in Indonesia, play the love struck main characters in the 1960s, while Putri Marino and Arya Saloka play a...

The Indonesian film industry is poised to spread its wings globally as the country’s filmmaking boom is the subject of a focus at the Busan International Film Festival.

Films from the country now routinely get selected and win prizes at major international festivals. The local market in Indonesia, which has the fourth-largest population in the world with 277 million, is rapidly expanding with homegrown productions accounting for a significant share. Indonesia is also bolstering its cultural policies that include an annual $13 million international co-production grant. Featured at Busan this year are 15 features, shorts and series.

The festival has been inviting Indonesian films since 1996. In 2004, the late Kim Ji-seok, after whom one of the festival’s top awards is named now, curated a program titled ‘Garin [Nugroho] and the Next Generation: New Possibility of Indonesian Cinema.’ “I realized that the next generation is already visible, but overlooked,” festival programmer Park Sungho told Variety.

Distribution in Indonesia was the subject of a lively debate at the Busan International Film Festival’s Asian Contents and Film Market.

With 277 million people, Indonesia has one of the largest populations in the world. However, geographically it is an archipelago and for its population, the country is under-screened with just 2,300 cinema screens. Despite this, box office is booming. The 2022 total surpassed pre-pandemic 2019 levels, with more than 54 million admissions. Indonesia also operates under a unique distribution model in that there are no independent distributors. Producers instead deal directly with the country’s three major multiplex chains and a smattering of small cinemas in second and third tier cities.

“The country’s span is from Dublin to Istanbul, but we have only 2,300 screens,” said producer Angga Dwimas Sasangko of Visinema, whose “Ali Topan” is screening at Busan. Sasangko was speaking at a panel on Indonesian distribution that also included producer Shanty...

It’s no exaggeration to say that Korea’s Busan International Film Festival (Biff) has been through a fair amount of drama this year.

The turmoil started in May when Biff chairman Lee Yong-kwan appointed a close associate, Cho Jongkook, as managing director alongside artistic director Huh Moonyung, a decision that proved highly unpopular with some sectors of the local Korean film industry.

Huh resigned, and in an apparently unrelated development, was accused of sexual harassment by a festival employee around the same time. Lee also resigned, Cho was dismissed by the Biff board, and Oh Seok-geun, director of Busan’s Asian Contents & Film Market (Acfm), who had supported Lee’s decision to hire Cho, also stepped down. By early July, four of the festival’s top management were out of the door.

Fortunately, the festival has a strong layer of middle management with many years experience. When the top brass departed,...

Take a look at more footage from the upcoming live-action romance TV series "Cigarette Girl", based on the novel by Ratih Kumala, set against the tobacco industry during the 1960's, directed by Kamila Andini and Ifa Isfansyah, starring Dian Sastrowardoyo, Ario Bayu, Arya Saloka and Putri Marino, streaming November 2, 2023 on Netflix:

"..'Dasiyah' (Sastrowardoyo), a woman ahead of her time, is passionate about concocting the perfect formulas for 'clove cigarettes'. Her encounter with 'Soeraja' (Bayu) leads to a love story marked by historical events that eventually shape the course of their lives. 

"Decades later, 'Lebas' (Saloka), son of Soeraja, meets 'Arum' (Marino) as together they trace the past and uncover buried secrets..."

Cast also includes Tissa Biani, Ine Febriyanti, Winky Wiryawan, Sheila Dara, Ibnu Jamil, Rukman Rosadi, Nungki Kusumastuti, Dimas Aditya, Pritt Timothy and Tutie Kirana. 

Click the images to enlarge...

Busan International Film Festival has unveiled its full line-up, including opening and closing films, and announced that Hong Kong star Chow Yun-fat has been named as Asian Filmmaker of the Year.

Chow will be feted through the screening of two of his most iconic films – Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and John Woo’s A Better Tomorrow – as well as recent release Once More Chance, directed by Anthony Pun.

In addition to Chow, international guests expected at the festival include Luc Besson, Japanese filmmakers Hirokazu Kore-eda and Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Korean-American filmmakers Lee Isaac Chung and Justin Chon, and Chinese actress Fan Bingbing.

The festival will open with the world premiere of Jang Kun-jae’s Because I Hate Korea, adapted from the popular novel by Chang Kang-myoung, and close with Chinese filmmaker Ning Hao’s The Movie Emperor, starring Andy Lau, which is receiving its world premiere in Toronto.

The Busan International Film Festival put aside many of its recent internal and local political problems to Tuesday unveil a large selection ranging from bleeding edge art titles to international festival favorites.

“The difficult times are not behind us, but hard work has made this year’s festival better than ever,” said programmer and interim festival chief Nam Dong-chul, speaking at an online press conference.

International guests expected to attend the festival include Luc Besson, Chinese superstar Fan Bingbing, Japanese directors Hamaguchi Ryusuke and Kore-Eda Hirokazu, Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf, and Korean Americans Justin Chon (“Gook”) and Lee Isaac Chung (“Minari”).

Hong Kong-based superstar Chow Yun-fat has been named as Busan’s Asian Filmmaker of the Year and will be in person to receive the award. The Korean Cinema Award will presented to the late Yun Jung-hee, the actress who starred in “The General’s Mustache” and Lee Chang-dong’s 2010 drama “Poetry.

The new period romance TV series "Cigarette Girl", based on the novel by Ratih Kumala, set against the tobacco industry in 1960's Indonesia, is directed by Kamila Andini and Ifa Isfansyah, starring Dian Sastrowardoyo, Ario Bayu, Arya Saloka and Putri Marino, streaming November 2, 2023 on Netflix:

"..'Dasiyah' (Sastrowardoyo), a woman ahead of her time, is passionate about concocting the perfect formulas for 'clove cigarettes'. Her encounter with 'Soeraja' (Bayu) leads to a love story marked by historical events that eventually shape the course of their lives. 

"Decades later, 'Lebas' (Saloka), son of Soeraja, meets 'Arum' (Marino) as together they trace the past and uncover buried secrets..."

Cast also includes Tissa Biani, Ine Febriyanti, Winky Wiryawan, Sheila Dara, Ibnu Jamil, Rukman Rosadi, Nungki Kusumastuti, Dimas Aditya, Pritt Timothy and Tutie Kirana. 

Click the images to enlarge...

The Busan International Film Festival has unveiled its selections for the popular Korean Cinema Today – Special Premiere and On Screen strands.

The On Screen section, introduced in 2021, showcases series and this year boasts six world premieres – five from Korea and one from Indonesia.

Tving show “I Am a Running Mate,” about an ordinary student trying to become student president marks the directorial debut of Han Jin-won, winner of best original screenplay as a co-writer for Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite.” The series merges the coming-of-age genre with elements of a political drama, and stars Yoon Hyun-soo, Lee Jung-sic, Choi Woo-sung, Hong Hwa-yeon and Lee Bong-jun. Three of the nine episodes will screen at the festival.

“The Deal,” a Waave original series, is a tale of criminal intrigue in which two young men kidnap their friend and demand KRW10 billion ($7.5 million) as ransom. The cast features Yoo Seung-ho’s streaming debut alongside Kim Dong-hwi,...

Indonesia has recently gained momentum in producing numerous captivating films. Since the 21st century, Indonesian cinema, particularly in the realm of independent films, has experienced a remarkable resurgence. These films have found their way to prestigious film festivals, earning acclaim through notable awards. Today, the domestic market in Indonesia—with its fourth-largest population—is undergoing expansion due to the rise in screen numbers, especially in multiplexes, with local productions having captured the majority of the market share. Furthermore, as one of the countries with its film industry that made the fastest recovery from the pandemic, Indonesia is bolstering its cultural policies to nurture the film industry's growth and foster emerging Indonesian filmmakers.

Focusing on Indonesia's fast-growing film industry, the Special Program in Focus will introduce 7 features and 5 short films, including series which will be presented on Netflix. Mouly Surya and Kamila Andini, two of the most prominent female directors in Asia; Joko Anwar,...

The ongoing renaissance in the Indonesian film industry will be celebrated at the upcoming Busan International Film Festival.

Films from the country now routinely get selected and win prizes at major international festivals. The local market in Indonesia, which has the fourth-largest population in the world, is rapidly expanding with a boom in screen count and with homegrown productions capturing the majority of the market share. Indonesia is also bolstering its cultural policies to nurture the film industry’s growth and foster emerging Indonesian filmmakers.

Featured at Busan will be six features, five shorts and a series. The first two episodes of Netflix’s “Cigarette Girl” by Kamila Andini and Ifa Isfansyah, which delves into the life of a female protagonist entwined with the 1960s Indonesian cigarette industry, will world premiere at the festival.

Another world premiere, “24 Hours with Gaspar” by Yosep Anggi Noen (2020 Locarno winner “The Science of Fictions”), follows Gaspar,...