Cannes-Winning Indonesian Director Wregas Bhanuteja Explores Trance, Spirituality and Happiness in Busan APM Project ‘Levitating’
Indonesian filmmaker Wregas Bhanuteja is in the process of directing “Levitating,” a film project that delves into the world of trance parties and spiritual exploration. The film, which is being presented at Busan’s Asian Project Market (APM), aims to explore the nature of pleasure, obsession and human contentment.
Bhanuteja has already made a significant impact on the international film scene. After graduating in film directing from Jakarta Institute of Arts in 2014, his short film “Lembusura” (2014) competed at the Berlinale in 2015. He went on to win best short film at Cannes Critics’ Week with “In the Year of Monkey” (2016), and his short “No One is Crazy in This Town” (2019) competed at Sundance in 2020.
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His feature film debut, “Photocopier” (2021), premiered at Busan in 2021 and swept the Indonesian Film Festival with 12 Citra Awards. His sophomore feature, “Andragogy” (2023), had its world premiere at Toronto in 2023, played Busan and is now available on Netflix after a theatrical run in Indonesia.
“Levitating” is set in Latas Village, where trance parties led by shamans and spirit channelers are a common practice. The narrative follows Bayu, a 20-year-old musician aspiring to become a spirit channeler, as he navigates a selection process to save the village’s sacred spring from outside interests.
With “Levitating,” Bhanuteja was drawn to the subject matter by the unique form of happiness found in Indonesian trance parties. “In some parts of Indonesia, trance party is considered as a form of escapism from real life and for the people to find pleasure in the supernatural world,” he explains. “They will dance to traditional music and feel like they’re partying in a colorful and enchanting world. They do it without the involvement of drugs, booze, or substances.”
The director sees this practice as a simple yet profound way of finding joy. “This simple form of happiness is something I love to share with people,” Bhanuteja says. “There are many ways to find happiness in life and one of them is through spirituality.”
However, “Levitating” also aims to tackle deeper questions about the nature of happiness and its pursuit. Bhanuteja notes, “Finding happiness for some people is more like chasing an infinite number. When do we feel enough? Can we stop at a certain point? Some people even seek happiness at the cost of disrupting other people’s way of life and taking away their rights.”
Producers Siera Tamihardja of Indonesia’s Rekata Studio (“Photocopier,” “Andragogy”), Tan Si En of Singapore’s Momo Film Co (Venice winner “Don’t Cry, Butterfly”) and Patrice Nezan of France’s Les Contes Modernes (Venice-winning and Oscar nominated “Corpus Christi’) are backing the project. Tan praises Bhanuteja’s talent and vision, saying, “Wregas is a talented filmmaker from the region that people should look out for. His previous two films have proven his vision and ability to engage with the wider audience. I believe this film is his best feature yet, combining the visual sensibilities of his award-winning shorts and storytelling pace from the last two features.”
Tamihardja expresses enthusiasm for the international collaboration, noting, “Rekata Studio is very happy that Momo Film Co (Singapore) and Les Contes Modernes (France) can see the strength of this project from the get-go.”
The film’s production began on Sept. 18, with completion expected by the third week of October. The team aims to have the film ready for release by the first quarter of 2025. With a budget of approximately $1.4 million, the producers report that 80% of the funding has been secured.
At APM, the team hopes to connect with potential partners for financing and distribution. “Ever since the conception of this project, we realize that although the setting of this film is locally rooted, but the situation and struggles of the characters are relevant with those of global, modern society,” the producers state.
The APM takes place Oct. 5-8 as part of the Busan International Film Festival, which unspools Oct. 2-11.
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