Through the film “City of War”, viewers will be drawn into a love triangle between Isa, Fatimah, and Hazil amidst the chaos of war in Jakarta.
Jakarta, April 21, 2025 — A new work by writer and director Mouly Surya, who has won two Citra Awards for Best Director at the Indonesian Film Festival (FFI), “City of War” will be released starting April 30, 2025, in cinemas across Indonesia! This film, presented by Cinesurya, Starvision, and Kaninga Pictures, is adapted from Mochtar Lubis’s “Jalan Tak Ada Ujung”, and it will present a love triangle in the middle of the war chaos in Jakarta in 1946. It stakes love and struggle, shrouded in betrayal.
Mouly Surya will take viewers on a time machine to 1946, when Jakarta was once again invaded by the Dutch, amidst the city’s chaos with its citizens and leaders fleeing. There were guerrilla struggles from young people risking their lives and honor to prevent Indonesia, which had just gained its independence, from falling back into the hands of the colonizers.
“City of War” offers a contemporary interpretation of Jakarta’s vintage atmosphere, with old buildings juxtaposed with dynamic characters in fashionable attire. The 1940s Jakarta is shown in stark contrast, full of color and a gloomy city, reflecting the turmoil of a city amidst warfare.
One year after Indonesia gained independence, Jakarta became a battleground between independence fighters and the Allied forces, controlled by the Dutch who sought to recolonize Indonesia. Raids, arrests, shootings, and burning were daily occurrences. The situation was so intense that the capital moved to Yogyakarta as a temporary measure. War raged in the city. Small-scale battles became a daily sight. Many families lost loved ones, while life had to continue. The economy collapsed, food became scarce, and prices soared.
In the midst of all this, Isa (Chicco Jerikho) fights for survival in the city that’s at war, Fatimah (Ariel Tatum) endures her inner struggles, and Hazil (Jerome Kurnia) persists in his spirit of resistance. These three main characters navigate intrigue not only amid the chaos of the city but also the turmoil within their hearts.
Fatimah yearns for warmth from Isa, but Isa, affected by trauma, cannot satisfy his wife’s emotional needs. Hazil, a passionate young man, becomes the outlet for Fatimah’s desires. Mouly Surya crafts this love triangle with struggles and betrayal, straightforward yet flexible. The camerawork by cinematographer Roy Lolang, who has received four Best Cinematography nominations at FFI, brings the visuals of inner conflict and war to life, presenting a fresh interpretation of a period film. The use of the 4:3 aspect ratio serves as both an aesthetic and narrative tool, adding a classic feel and creating an intimate atmosphere focused on the characters.
“The basic idea behind ‘City of War’ is to show the lives of people during wartime, in a city under pressure. With many colors, there’s love, and then many turmoils happening. The 1946 era is also depicted with the design of Jakarta, which has many narrow alleys. It’s like a metaphor, that guerrilla fighting was happening in Indonesia. The battle and war didn’t occur on big streets but through the small lanes,” said writer and director Mouly Surya.
High-Class Production from International Co-Productions
City of War stars Chicco Jerikho, Ariel Tatum, Jerome Kurnia, Rukman Rosadi, Imelda Therinne, Faiz Vishal, Anggun Priambodo, Ar Barrani Lintang, Chew Kinwah, Alex Abbad, Indra Birowo, Dea Panendra, and more. A co-production between Indonesia, Singapore, the Netherlands, France, Norway, the Philippines, and Cambodia, the film is produced by Cinesurya, Starvision, and Kaninga Pictures. It is co-produced with Giraffe Pictures, Volya Films, Shasha & Co. Production, DuoFilm AS, Epicmedia, Qun Films, and Kongchak Pictures.
The film is produced by Chand Parwez Servia, Fauzan Zidni, Tutut Kolopaking, and Rama Adi, with Willawati as executive producer. It also has co-producers from both Indonesian and international production teams, including Anthony Chen, Tan Si En, Denis Vaslin, Fleur Knopperts, Isabelle Glachant, Ingrid Lill Høgtun, Marie Fuglestein Lægreid, Linda Bolstad Strønen, Bianca Balbuena, Bradley Liew, Axel Hadiningrat, Giovanni Rahmadeva, Siera Tamihardja, and Loy Te.
“City of War” also features Dolby Atmos audio format, providing a more immersive and absolute cinematic experience. The sound design is handled by French sound designer Vincent Villa in Cambodia. Vincent Villa has previously worked on award-winning films and competed in international film festivals. For sound foley, the film was worked on by Yellow Cab in Paris, one of the best foley design studios in the world, which also worked on the Oscar-winning films “Emilia Perez” and “Fight Club.”
“Co-productions with international production companies and crews add value to ‘City of War’. The production value has significantly increased. There’s a contribution through collaboration with international crews and Indonesian film crews, especially for VFX, which allows ‘City of War’ to represent the visual of Jakarta in 1946 more perfectly. Through this international collaboration, there is also an exchange of information and knowledge for our film industry workers,” said producer Rama Adi from Cinesurya.
“City of War” also represents Starvision’s commitment to supporting films that explore themes rarely explored by Indonesian filmmakers, as well as an effort to provide diversity in genres and themes to encourage the growth of the Indonesian film industry.
“Starvision always believes in the vision brought by filmmakers who explore storytelling with new perspectives in Indonesian cinema. Mouly Surya presents a work that will spark new possibilities rarely told through this film,” added producer Chand Parwez Servia from Starvision.
“Kaninga always supports films with complex stories and strong visions; ‘City of War’ has that. It’s an honor to collaborate again with Cinesurya, this time with a larger production scale. We hope this film will bring a unique color to enrich the growing diversity of Indonesian films,” said executive producer Willawati from Kaninga Pictures.
Romance Amidst War
Chicco Jerikho, who plays Isa, reveals that his character has multiple layers. On one hand, Isa faces the problem of impotence, but on the other hand, he must continue to fight against the invaders and defend the nation’s independence.
“Isa in this film has a more complex spectrum compared to the one in the book. Mouly gave multi-dimensions to Isa’s character that I had to reflect in the film. He is flamboyant, a fighter, but also has his own struggles in his marriage to Fatimah. With his tragic side that seems never-ending,” said Chicco Jerikho.
Meanwhile, Ariel Tatum says that Fatimah’s character in the film is not entirely an antagonist, even though she betrays her husband, Isa. Fatimah must struggle with her inner turmoil in managing domestic affairs and raising a child that Isa brought into their home.
“In the book, Fatimah is a housewife who has an affair with Hazil, Isa’s comrade. But Mouly made a slight transformation in the film. Fatimah brings the persona of a strong woman who represents women of her time. Fatimah is tough and resilient. The 1940s were not an easy time for women, and I’m proud that Mouly translated Fatimah as a strong woman with resilience amidst the raging war,” said Ariel Tatum.
“City of War” will be screening in theaters starting April 30, 2025. Follow the latest updates about “City of War” from Cinesurya, Starvision, and Kaninga Pictures on Instagram @perangkotafilm, @cinesurya, and @starvisionplus and TikTok @StarvisionMovie.
Synopsis
Jakarta in 1946, amidst war, love, and betrayal.
ISA (Chicco Jerikho), a war hero struggling in his marriage bed, is tasked with assassinating a Dutch colonial leader to defend independence, alongside his friend HAZIL (Jerome Kurnia), a handsome and spirited youth who secretly wins the heart of ISA’s wife, FATIMAH (Ariel Tatum).
About Cinesurya
Founded in 2007, Cinesurya is a production house based in Jakarta run by producers Rama Adi, Fauzan Zidni, and director Mouly Surya. Cinesurya won the Citra Award with its first film, “Fiksi” (2007), and “Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts” (2017), which received international acclaim and premiered at the Cannes Film Festival’s Directors’ Fortnight. In 2013, “What They Don’t Talk About When They Talk About Love” became the first Indonesian film to compete at the Sundance Film Festival. As a member of the Directors Guild of America (DGA), co-founder Mouly Surya has built her international career, directing “Trigger Warning”, a Netflix US production starring Jessica Alba, which became one of Netflix’s top 10 most-watched films globally in 2024.
About Starvision
Starvision is one of Indonesia’s leading production companies, known for its successful films that have garnered prestigious awards. Films such as Virgin (2005), Heart (2006), and Get Married (2007) achieved high box office success in Indonesia. Starvision has consistently set trends with successful genre films, including The Tarix Jabrix (2008), Perempuan Berkalung Sorban and Get Married 2 (2009), Laskar Pemimpi and Kabayan Jadi Milyuner (2010), Purple Love and Hafalan Shalat Delisa (2011), and many more.
About Kaninga Pictures
Kaninga Pictures is a Jakarta-based production house focused on financing, producing, marketing, and distributing films. Our main focus is to bring diverse narratives in various genres, demonstrating our commitment to distinctive and compelling storytelling. Kaninga’s co-productions include “Seperti Dendam Rindu Harus di Bayar Tuntas” (Golden Leopard winner at the 2021 Locarno Film Festival) and “Penyalin Cahaya” (winner of 13 Citra Awards). In 2023, Kaninga released “Budi Pekerti”, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Leave a Reply