Jakarta. Indonesian horror films will take center stage in Melbourne next month as the Indonesian Horror Film Festival Melbourne (IHFFM) prepares to make its international debut, aiming to expand global access to the country’s growing horror cinema industry.

The festival will take place on Oct. 3, at The Capitol, a historic theater on Melbourne’s Swanston Street. Organizers will host film screenings, a red-carpet event, filmmaker discussions, and meet-and-greet sessions.

Producer Intan Kieflie, who has more than 16 years of experience in the film industry, said the festival was created to address a gap between international interest in Indonesian horror and access to the films.

“Many people in the global market know Indonesian horror, but they don’t know where or how to watch it,” Intan said in Jakarta on Thursday.

She said IHFFM would seek to reach audiences directly rather than rely solely on local distributors, helping build international demand for Indonesian films.

The festival will feature four Indonesian horror films exploring supernatural traditions, folklore, and family secrets.

Ritual Gaib: Nyai Randasura (The Black Ritual – The Widow Demon) follows a pregnant woman who uncovers her husband’s family’s generations-old supernatural pact with a demonic entity. Kuyank tells the story of a woman who turns to forbidden black magic to save her marriage, unleashing a curse targeting pregnant women and babies.

In Malam 3 Yasinan (The 3rd Night of the Death), a woman returns to her troubled family home after her twin sister’s mysterious death, where supernatural terror exposes dark secrets. Sukma (The Lost Soul) centers on a mother whose fresh start turns into a nightmare after her son discovers an antique mirror linked to supernatural disturbances.

The festival will also screen a 4K remaster of The Raid to mark the action film’s 15th anniversary.

Actors and filmmakers scheduled to attend include Yayan Ruhian, Shalom Razade, Hamish Daud, Baim Wong, and Australian director Stuart Simpson. Ruhian, known for his roles in The Raid and international productions, is expected to be a key attraction.

The red-carpet event will be held outdoors on Swanston Street, inspired by the public-facing atmosphere of the Cannes Film Festival.

Dino Patti Djalal, chairman of the Indonesian Diaspora Network Global Board of Trustees, praised the festival as an independent diaspora initiative to promote Indonesian creative industries overseas.

Intan said she hoped the event would encourage more Indonesian producers to pursue international film festivals and markets.

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