Indonesian Action Drama ‘The Tiger’ Spotlights Traditional Martial Arts at JAFF Market

variety.com:

Naman Ramachandran ANP Films Indonesia’s martial arts drama “The Tiger” makes its market debut at the inaugural JAFF Market, running alongside the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival (JAFF) from Dec.

3-5. The project, which showcases the traditional silat martial art style known as pamacan, aims to bring Indonesian cultural heritage to global audiences.

Director Ardiansah Sulistiana’s film centers on a family of silat practitioners in West Java whose secret tiger-style martial art becomes exposed through a viral video, leading to conflict with an outsider determined to claim their heritage. “Cultural diversity has its own unique appeal, and many Indonesian filmmakers are now creating regional films, even using local languages,” says Sulistiana. “This trend has proven successful, with many films attracting millions of viewers due to the fresh themes they present.” Producer Aris Nugraha sees the project’s regional specificity as a strength. “This film is about the silat martial arts tradition in a region of Garut, West Java.

This makes ‘The Tiger’ a local film, but I want to adapt it to be embraced globally.” The film, shot primarily in the Sundanese language, emphasizes both action and cultural authenticity through its cinematography, utilizing close-ups and slow-motion shots to highlight the intricacies of silat movements while capturing the landscapes of Garut through wide shots.