Joko Anwar, one of Indonesia’s hottest filmmakers and director of the critically-acclaimed film “Ghost in the Cell” which has been sold to 86 countries, on sneaking into cinemas as a broke kid in Medan, becoming a journalist to trick filmmakers into talking to him, and why Singaporean films can be successful around the world.

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𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗢𝘂𝘁 "𝗚𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗹"!

Watch Joko’s film at GV now (it’s really great!) at this link: Ghost In The Cell

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘂𝘀!
We’re looking for people to join our team! Click on the links below to find out more about the roles. If you’re interested, send your CV & cover letter to [email protected]!

• Creative Producer
• Folklory Growth Hacking Internship

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• Terence: Resident Evil Requiem | Trailer
• Haresh: Olive Garden Compass
• Joko: 15 BEST Indonesia Movie Theaters (2026)

𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗹𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 – "𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝘁” https://yahlahbut.short.gy/subscribe
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(00:00) We're Hiring!
(01:33) Intro
(02:48) HOOQ flashback: when Joko judged "She's a Terrorist"
(05:00) Watching Joko's 12th film and feeling the energy on set
(06:00) Why he never says "action" or "cut"
(07:42) Discipline from celluloid days carried into digital filmmaking
(10:08) Working with new actors and building comedic timing
(14:40) The video board: pre-planning every shot before filming
(16:05) Shooting a film in just 5-6 hours a day
(20:20) One-on-one character sessions with no script
(22:14) Growing up in Medan and escaping reality through cinema
(24:25) From wanting to be an actor to becoming a journalist
(26:37) The film review that changed everything
(27:40) Meeting Nia Dinata and getting his first film made
(28:48) Why Joko refuses to be boxed into one genre
(29:49) Starting from personal anxiety: the real source of his stories
(32:00) Filmmaking as communication
(34:17) Pushing the perimeter without breaking it
(35:47) Why specificity travels: Parasite, Crazy Rich Asians and universal themes
(39:55) Why he won't move to Hollywood
(41:40) Indonesia's 47 ghosts and Southeast Asian horror
(42:31) Making jokes about religion respectfully
(43:19) Handling backlash and 1 million opinions
(45:15) Casting people who share your vision, not just want money
(48:27) His "fucked up" childhood and drawing from personal experience
(50:12) Indonesia's superstition and 500 ethnic groups of scary stories
(53:17) The most satisfying part: when audiences relate
(54:27) Practical effects, illustrators and no AI
(56:26) Looking back: gratitude and humility in art
(58:42) The lowest and highest points: there is no high or low
(59:54) The Indonesian horror wave and genre cinema's global rise
(1:04:13) Advice for young Southeast Asian filmmakers: find your voice
(1:05:46) One Shiok Thing
(1:09:44) Post-Interview Reflection

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