Malaysian-Indonesian Crime Thriller ‘Silent Village’ Takes Cues From Historic Murder Case at JAFF Market

Malaysian director Ho Yuhang (“Sanctuary”) and producer Lorna Tee (“Viet and Nam”) are presenting their crime thriller project “The Silent Village” (Aman/Damai) at the inaugural JAFF Market in Yogyakarta (Jogja), bringing a politically charged narrative inspired by one of Indonesia’s most notorious criminal cases. Ho and Tee previously worked together on “Mrs K.”

The film follows a homicide detective investigating a murder in a tranquil village, where the discovery of a female body in a sugarcane field leads to connections with an unsolved human trafficking case from five years earlier. Set against the backdrop of mounting political pressure during an election season, the story draws parallels between local authority figures and historical patterns of power abuse in Southeast Asia.

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“If the peaceful village where the shaman lived and killed is a mirror of the nation, the story has naturally found a piercing metaphor at its core,” says Ho, referring to the 1997 case that inspired the project, where an Indonesian shaman was convicted of multiple murders over a decade-long period.

The project, developed und -

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er Malaysia’s Paperheart banner, brings in Indonesian screenwriter Prima Rusdi (“Yuni”) to collaborate on the script. “We aim to look into the situation in Southeast Asia, outside of the urban centres, where leaders who are meant to protect and provide for the community, are often doing the opposite,” says Tee, addressing the film’s thematic focus.

The producers acknowledge the current challenges of the Indonesian market, noting the need to differentiate their project in a landscape dominated by horror and comedy genres. They are actively seeking Indonesian co-producers, investors, and artistic collaborators during the market.

“The Indonesian perspective and input is vital to secure at this early stage of development,” Tee adds, underscoring their commitment to authentic storytelling within the Indonesian context.

The JAFF Market runs Dec. 3-5 alongside the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival. “The Silent Village” is at the market’s Future Project platform.

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