Jakarta, November 18, 2024 – Palari Films presents its ninth feature film, Monster Pabrik Rambut (international title: Sleep No More), a horror-fantasy directed by Edwin. This film, set in a mysterious hair factory, stars Rachel Amanda, Lutesha, and Iqbaal Ramadhan.
Joining the cast are Sal Priadi and content creator Kev Luqman. In addition to his acting role, Iqbaal Ramadhan will serve as the executive producer alongside Dian Sastrowardoyo. The film is produced by Meiske Taurisia and Muhammad Zaidy from Palari Films, with co-producers Atsuko Ohno (Hassaku Lab, Japan) and Anthony Chen (Giraffe Pictures, Singapore). Monster Pabrik Rambut is a co-production between Indonesia, Japan, and Singapore.
The film follows the story of Putri (Rachel Amanda), who is forced to work at a hair factory to pay off her late mother’s debts, following her mother’s reported suicide. Meanwhile, her sister Ida (Lutesha) believes their mother’s death is linked to the mysterious and supernatural occurrences in the factory. As Putri and Ida start working at the factory day and night, they don’t just hear about strange events—they begin to witness bizarre and dangerous occurrences affecting the workers.
The screenplay for Monster Pabrik Rambut was written by novelist Eka Kurniawan and Edwin, marking their second collaboration after Seperti Dendam, Rindu Harus Dibayar Tuntas (Golden Leopard, Locarno 2021).
Edwin, the director, shared his vision for the film: “From the beginning, I wanted to create a world filled with terror—terrifying horrors that come from monsters. Monster Pabrik Rambut leans more towards fantasy horror, where the monsters can invade the bodies of the workers, causing strange and dangerous incidents at the factory.”
Meiske Taurisia, the producer, also spoke about the film’s international co-production support: “International co-production funds have been gathered from various countries across Asia and Europe. Japan’s Agency of Cultural Affairs (Bunkacho), Singapore’s Southeast-Asia Co-Production Grant (IMDA), and Switzerland’s Vision sud Est and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation have all supported the project. This co-production will open up opportunities for international distribution, and we appreciate the support from the Ministry of Culture’s Match Fund program, which helps maintain Indonesia’s film presence globally and promotes cultural diplomacy.”
Iqbaal Ramadhan, executive producer and cast member, expressed excitement about the project: “Monster Pabrik Rambut will bring a new dimension to Indonesian cinema. It blends one of the most popular genres, horror, with fantasy elements, providing a fresh twist and a unique viewing experience.”
One interesting aspect of the film is its collaboration with PFN (Produksi Film Negara). “PFN as the shooting location is a concrete form of our support for Indonesian cinema. We hope more filmmakers will follow suit in continuing this collaboration,” said Dwi Heriyanto B., Director of PFN.
Monster Pabrik Rambut is slated for release in 2025.
For the latest updates on this horror-fantasy film from Palari Films and director Edwin, follow the official Instagram account @palarifilms.
Founded in 2016 in Jakarta, Palari Films is a production company led by producers Meiske Taurisia and Muhammad Zaidy. The company gained international recognition with its film Seperti Dendam, Rindu Harus Dibayar Tuntas, which won the prestigious Golden Leopard at the 74th Locarno Film Festival.
Other films produced by Palari Films include Kabut Berduri (Netflix Original Indonesia, 2024), which received 12 nominations at the 2024 Citra Awards and ranked #2 on Netflix’s Global Top 10 Non-English Films for two weeks. Previous works include Dear David (2023), Piknik Pesona (2022), Ali & Ratu-Ratu Queens (2021), Aruna & Lidahnya (2018), and Posesif (2017). Palari Films is committed to producing unique, high-quality works.
Leave a Reply