Starring Aghniny Haque and Surya Saputra, the mystery horror film takes audiences deep into a cursed village where every answer leads to an even darker secret.

Jakarta, September 18, 2026 — What happens when the search for a missing father leads you to a village that no one can leave?

That question lies at the heart of Bisikan Desa Gringsing, a new Indonesian mystery horror film from Mandela Pictures and Oceanus Media Global (OMG Studios), which is set to hit Indonesian cinemas on September 24, 2026.

Following the release of its first looks, poster, and trailer, the film officially unveiled its full story to members of the media at a press screening and press conference in Jakarta. For the first time, invited guests experienced the complete journey of Hesti, played by Aghniny Haque, as she enters the mysterious Desa Gringsing in search of her missing father.

But finding him will not be easy.

A Village That Keeps Its Secrets

Written and directed by Ivander Tedjasukmana, Bisikan Desa Gringsing follows Hesti as her search takes her into a village trapped by a terrifying supernatural force.

The source of the terror is Fatimah, a restless spirit who keeps the villagers imprisoned inside Desa Gringsing. Anyone who attempts to escape faces deadly consequences.

As Hesti digs deeper into the mystery, she discovers that almost everyone in the village has something to hide. Each character holds a piece of the puzzle, but every revelation only raises more questions. Before long, Hesti realizes that the mystery surrounding the village is connected not only to its dark past, but also to trauma from her own past.

“From the beginning, we wanted Bisikan Desa Gringsing to be a cinematic experience that keeps audiences engaged with the story,” said Manoj Samtani, Producer of Mandela Pictures. “Hesti comes to the village looking for one answer, but her journey opens up so many other questions. Now that the film is complete and we have finally been able to share it with the media, we hope that this experience of searching for answers alongside Hesti will keep audiences talking about the film even after they leave the theater.”

Building a Haunted World With Virtual Production

One of the film’s most distinctive production elements is the way Desa Gringsing itself was brought to life.

Bisikan Desa Gringsing is the first Indonesian feature-length horror film to utilize virtual production technology as part of its filmmaking process. Several sequences were filmed on an LED volumetric stage, allowing photorealistic digital environments to appear in real time around the actors. Other scenes were shot on physical, practical sets.

The two approaches were then combined to create a single cinematic world—from fog-covered village roads and ominous buildings to supernatural encounters that gradually pull Hesti deeper into the mystery.

“Bisikan Desa Gringsing demonstrates how technology can deliver its best results when it serves the story,” said Nick GC Tan, Founder and CEO of Oceanus Media Global (OMG Studios). “By combining virtual production, real sets, and creative talent from Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia, we worked together to build Desa Gringsing as one complete cinematic world.”

He added that OMG Studios was proud to be part of the collaboration and looked forward to bringing the world of Desa Gringsing to audiences on the big screen.

When the Digital World Meets the Real One

Creating a seamless village from both virtual environments and physical sets came with its own set of challenges.

Production on the virtual stage took place before filming continued on real sets, meaning every visual detail had to be carefully planned in advance. Set design, lighting, composition, actor blocking, and movement all had to remain consistent so that the digital and physical environments would feel like parts of the same location.

For director Ivander Tedjasukmana, that challenge became one of the most interesting aspects of the production.

“The interesting challenge for me was making sure that the technology and the real sets did not feel like two different worlds once they became part of the same film,” said Ivander. “Because we filmed at the virtual production studio first, many things had to be considered from the very beginning. When we moved to the real sets, the visuals, blocking, and atmosphere all had to remain connected.”

For him, technology opened new creative possibilities—but ultimately, everything still had to serve the audience’s belief in the world of the story.

Technology Meets Performance

The film’s technological approach was only one part of the equation. Cinematography, production design, sound, music, and performances all work together to gradually immerse audiences in the unsettling world of Desa Gringsing.

The emotional journey is further supported by “Perjalanan Menawar Racun,” a song by Indonesian singer-songwriter Kunto Aji, which becomes part of the film’s emotional landscape.

For Aghniny Haque, playing Hesti meant navigating both virtual and physical environments while maintaining a consistent emotional journey.

“As an actor, I had to believe that everything Hesti experienced was happening in the same world, even though the filming process used different approaches,” Aghniny explained. “In the virtual production studio, we could see the environment of Desa Gringsing directly on the LED screen. When we moved to the real sets, the challenge was maintaining Hesti’s emotions and experiences so that everything remained connected.”

She described the process as a new and exciting experience—one that ultimately reminded her that even with new technology, acting still comes down to something fundamental: believing in the situation and the character.

A Southeast Asian Production Collaboration

The journey of Bisikan Desa Gringsing extends beyond Indonesia.

The film is an international co-production involving Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia, with part of the production taking place at OMG Studios’ virtual production facility at Iskandar Malaysia Studios (IMS) in Johor, Malaysia.

The project brings together Indonesian storytelling and talent with technology, production infrastructure, and creative collaboration from across Southeast Asia.

Ahead of its theatrical release, the film has already met audiences through special screenings held on September 12–13, 2026, at several cinemas. Its promotional campaign has also included film talks at vocational schools and universities, where audiences showed particular interest in the production team’s use of virtual production technology and the experience of working across multiple countries.

The Mystery Arrives in Cinemas September 24

Featuring Aghniny Haque, Fatmah Nahdi, Surya Saputra, Kiki Narendra, Iskak Khivano, Hesti Putri, Iyang Darmawan, Akun Gege, Swetajaloe, Nina Tamam, Mian Tiara, Nizar Umar, Azkya Mahira, Shaqueena Medina Lukman, and Nazhira Rizka, Bisikan Desa Gringsing invites audiences to enter a village where nothing is quite what it seems.

Hesti arrives looking for her father.

But the deeper she ventures into Desa Gringsing, the more she discovers that the village’s greatest secret may have been waiting for her all along.

Bisikan Desa Gringsing opens in Indonesian cinemas on September 24, 2026, followed by releases in Malaysia, Singapore, Turkey, and Azerbaijan.

For the latest updates, follow Bisikan Desa Gringsing through its official social media channels.