The latest film from Sinemaku Pictures will soon be available in Indonesian cinemas. Titled Perayaan Mati Rasa (The Celebration of Numbness), this film focuses on the relationship of a young man named Ian Antono with the people around him. In addition to exploring family issues, Perayaan Mati Rasa also highlights one prominent element: music. Unlike his younger sibling, who works as a podcaster, Ian is a musician who is determined to pursue his dream career in music through a band he forms with his friends, called Midnight Serenade.
A group of young musicians, many of whom have also appeared on the big screen, plays the members of this band. In addition to Iqbaal Ramadhan as Ian (the bassist), there are Devano Danendra as Ray Alvero (the vocalist), Dul Jaelani as Saka Wijaya (the guitarist), and Randy Danistha as Dika Ardana (the drummer). According to Iqbaal, the idea for Midnight Serenade came about because Umay, the director, wanted to create a film with music as an essential element, not just as a soundtrack.
“Starting from Umay’s desire, I suggested some Indonesian films from the early 2000s that featured indie bands in their soundtracks or films that integrated music as part of the story, like Garasi. From there, Umay became convinced that the band in this film should be made up of real musicians who could perform Midnight Serenade’s original songs.”
Dul mentioned that he was excited to join Sinemaku Pictures’ fifth feature film due to the unique concept. “When I first heard about the concept of a band in the film, I was immediately interested and decided to participate. After workshops, recording, and playing guitar parts, it just got more fun. I felt that this was the true essence of filmmaking—creating art for soul satisfaction, not just for marketability. The energy feels fresh and complex.”
Involving real musicians to act and form a band in a film is a rare approach in local cinema, and Randy sees it as a refreshing change. “We’ve had bands formed from films before, but it hasn’t happened in a while. I think Midnight Serenade brings new energy to the Indonesian music scene because, in the end, it’s a film with a fictional band that can be brought into the real world. I hope this continues if the band members’ schedules allow.”
In line with Randy, Devano also mentioned that the original idea behind Midnight Serenade was to feature members who could actually play in a band. “We had intensive workshops, learned the chords for the songs, and practiced the singing so it would look authentic when visualized. It’s not just actors pretending to be in a band but actually playing music.” This is evidenced by the three singles that have been released and are available on digital music platforms like Spotify: “Laut,” “Kosong,” and “Sampai Jumpa.”
Echoing Devano’s sentiment, Iqbaal emphasized that both he and Umay agreed to cast musicians who were also actors to portray the characters in Midnight Serenade. This decision wasn’t made without reason. “Umay and I believe there’s a unique way that musicians perform, their gestures, and their stage presence that distinguish them from actors playing musicians. To reduce any appearance of artificiality, we decided to choose actors who are also musicians in real life.”
Talking about Midnight Serenade’s role in Perayaan Mati Rasa, Dul sees it as a great opportunity, especially for the music scene in Indonesia. “I think Midnight Serenade can represent young people out there who have a strong passion for playing in a band. Hopefully, our portrayal as a group of youth who love music and strive to make it happen will inspire others to form bands again.”
So, will Midnight Serenade continue as a real band in the future? Devano, Randy, Dul, and Iqbaal all agree that it’s a possibility. “It’s very possible for Midnight Serenade to become a real band. Right now, we might perform live in several cities for promotional purposes. As for the future, it all depends on everyone’s schedules, but there’s no doubt that Midnight Serenade could perform our songs again, even after Perayaan Mati Rasa is released,” concluded Iqbaal.
Midnight Serenade will be part of Ian Antono’s journey in Perayaan Mati Rasa, which will be in cinemas starting January 29, 2025.
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