“Die, you will die
And be reborn, again and again”
Yogyakarta, December 1, 2025 – This is an excerpt from Leila Chudori’s bestselling
novel Laut Bercerita, or The Sea Speaks His Name. Pal8 Pictures is proud to present its
first feature film production, adapted from the novel of the same name.
Directed by renowned director Yosep Anggi Noen, this family drama film began
shooting on September 27 and wrapped in mid-November 2025. Filming took place in
Jakarta, Semarang, Salatiga, and Sukabumi.
The screenplay was adapted and written by Leila S. Chudori and Yosep Anggi
Noen. The film was produced by Pal8 Pictures and supported by VMS, Jagartha Group,
and Lynx Films.
Laut Bercerita tells the story of the Wibisono family whose eldest son, Biru Laut,
had disappeared. They continue to search tirelessly for Biru Laut. As the years pass, Arya
Wibisono and his wife hold out hope that their son still lives. Meanwhile, their daughter,
Asmara Jati, is convinced that her brother is dead.
According to the Director of Pal8 Pictures, Budi Setyarso, “Laut Bercerita, set in
the 1990s, continues to be extremely relevant today. It’s no surprise that the number of
readers continues to grow significantly. To date, the novel has been reprinted 108 times.
If we include the Hardcover Edition and the Special 100th Edition, which only differ in
packaging, Laut Bercerita has reached its 124th reprint, which is phenomenal in the
Indonesian literary industry.” Budi expressed that the production house Pal8 Pictures is
very proud to have the opportunity to produce a film adaptation of this novel.
Director Yosep Anggi Noen stated, “I am honored to be entrusted with directing
the film adaptation of this important and best-selling novel. The biggest challenge was
taking the events of the novel, which were extracted from Leila’s in-depth research, and
presenting it as an epic and touching visualization.” Faced with this challenge, Anggi
admits that he was greatly assisted by “a production team with a high level of composure
and professionalism, and actors who were fully dedicated to the process of exploring their
characters, leading to a cinematic presentation of reality.”
The main character Biru Laut will be portrayed by renowned actor Reza
Rahadian, who stars opposite Yunita Siregar as Asmara Jati, Biru’s sister. Christine
Hakim and Arswendy Bening Swara will play Biru Laut’s parents, who continue to hope
that their son will show up at their door. Additionally, the film features actress Dian
Sastrowardoyo as Kasih Kinanti, Biru Laut’s mentor and friend, and Eva Celia as Ratih Anjani.
Reza Rahadian stated, “When loss has become a tale as widespread and vast as the
sea, this story becomes so important to visualize.” Meanwhile, Yunita Siregar said,
“From Asmara Jati, I learned to gently explore grief and loss, without ever losing
strength.”
Dian Sastrowardoyo admitted that “Kasih Kinanti has been my dream role. I was
overjoyed when I was offered the role.”
Previously, in 2017, Dian along with Wisnu Darmawan produced the short film
adaptation of Laut Bercerita (dir. Pritagita Arianegara), which to this day still draws large
audiences every time it is screened at various universities and arts centers.
Pal8 Pictures responded to this enthusiasm by producing the feature-length
adaptation of Laut Bercerita, which is scheduled to be released in theaters in the last
quarter of 2026.
Leave a Reply