Jakarta, March 24, 2025 — After its world premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in February this year, the war-drama film by director Mouly Surya, “Perang Kota” (international title “This City Is A Battlefield”), will soon be available for Indonesian audiences on April 30, 2025, in theaters. In anticipation of its release, this film, co-produced by Cinesurya, Starvision, and Kaninga Pictures, has unveiled its second official poster, featuring the three main characters of the film: Chicco Jerikho, Ariel Tatum, and Jerome Kurnia.
In the second official poster of “Perang Kota”, Ariel Tatum stands in front of the two men. Jerome Kurnia, seated in the middle, and Chicco Jerikho, standing at the back with his beloved violin. The scene is set in a corner of the house inhabited by Chicco Jerikho and Ariel Tatum, which also serves as the place where plans for resistance against the colonizers are often made. The poster hints at the major intrigues that will unfold between the three stars.
“Perang Kota” is a loose adaptation of the novel by Mochtar Lubis, “Jalan Tak Ada Ujung”, set in Jakarta in 1946 during the period when the Allies, led by the Dutch, sought to reassert control over Indonesia. Amid this crisis, love and infidelity emerge. ISA (Chicco Jerikho), a war hero struggling with his marital issues, is entrusted with the mission of eliminating Dutch colonial leaders in the effort to preserve Indonesia’s independence, alongside his friend HAZIL (Jerome Kurnia), a handsome and passionate young man, who secretly steals the heart of FATIMAH (Ariel Tatum), Isa’s wife.
Director and writer of “Perang Kota”, Mouly Surya, explains that the film explores the dark history of 1946. While everyone shouts “Merdeka!” (Independence!) as a symbol of the nation’s freedom, there is a city still in turmoil, resisting the colonizers and struggling to achieve true independence. The nation’s leaders and many others leave the capital, blurring the lines between right and wrong.
“Isa loses many things that define his role as a good man in the midst of war and in his domestic life, both in his marriage with Fatimah and as a breadwinner for his family. Isa’s heroism becomes a constant pressure between his duties and his responsibility to feed his family. This is explored through characters like Fatimah, who is eager to fight but is forced to surrender her role as a mother and wife,” said Mouly Surya.
“Perang Kota” 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 others. 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 also co-produced by Giraffe Pictures, Volya Films, Shasha & Co. Production, DuoFilm AS, Epicmedia, Qun Films, and Kongchak Pictures.
“Perang Kota” is produced by Chand Parwez Servia, Fauzan Zidni, Tutut Kolopaking, and Rama Adi. It is co-produced with international producers, 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.
Chand Parwez Servia, producer from Starvision, stated that “Perang Kota” is more than just a historical film; it is also a mirror for today’s younger generation.
“Perang Kota” will deliver an intense, emotional, and cinematic atmosphere of war, love, and betrayal. This film holds significant value as a reflection for the youth today, presenting a unique take on the revolutionary drama,” said Chand Parwez Servia.
Besides being the closing film at IFFR 2025, Mouly Surya’s fifth feature film will also be released commercially on April 17 in the Netherlands. Chicco Jerikho, who plays Isa, a man grappling with the nation’s struggle and his domestic issues, shared that playing Isa was a challenging journey.
“Isa is a unique character to explore. How he faces a crisis as a man while also keeping alive his ideals to fight for the nation of Indonesia. This role took me into a complex dimension within a conflict that tests courage, idealism, and love,” said Chicco Jerikho.
Ariel Tatum, who plays Fatimah, shared that she was interested in portraying the character’s dimension, with Mouly Surya’s approach showing Fatimah not as a woman to be blamed, but as someone who has a strong desire to join the fight.
“This is a perspective rarely presented in films and in our society,” said Ariel Tatum.
Jerome Kurnia, who was the first actor to join the project from the start, expressed his gratitude to Mouly Surya for giving him the role of Hazil. “When Mouly Surya first approached me with the role of Hazil, it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. Even when the script wasn’t ready yet, I trusted Mouly’s vision to show a post-independence Indonesia from a different perspective, telling a story not yet portrayed on our screens,” said Jerome Kurnia.
Perang Kota will be showing in theaters starting April 30, 2025. Stay updated on the latest developments of Perang Kota, brought to you by Cinesurya, Starvision, and Kaninga Pictures, via Instagram accounts @perangkotafilm, @cinesurya, and @starvisionplus, as well as TikTok @StarvisionMovie.
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