'KUYANK' Ready to Spread Chilling Terror, Featuring Banjar Folklore with Premium CGI

Film producer KUYANK, Victor G. Pramusinto, explained that this film has a different approach. The terror presented is not just an addition, but a logical consequence of the emotional conflicts of humans who are pressured by circumstances.

"We want the audience to enter through emotions, then get swept into the terror. KUYANK is a horror that leaves a mark because the audience cares first, then gets scared," he said when met in the Kuningan area, South Jakarta, on Friday (23/01/2026).

Director Johansyah Jumberan acknowledged that the production process of this film was full of challenges. Bringing hundreds of crew members to the interior of Kalimantan and the CGI post-production process that took a year is proof of the team's seriousness.

"Realizing the film Kuyank is not easy, because bringing hundreds of people to the interior of Kalimantan takes almost 5 hours and we worked on CGI for a year. I felt a lot of mental challenges in Saranjana, but I learned a lot from this film," Johansyah revealed.

The seriousness of the production is also evident from the use of Alexa 35 camera technology and the two-time FFI award-winning CGI team, LMN Studio. In fact, 60 percent of the sets in this film were built specifically to create an authentic atmosphere.

Asaf Antariksa, the screenwriter, emphasizes the uniqueness of the Kuyang myth in the Banjar version that is highlighted. Unlike the general understanding, Kuyang in Banjar tradition is more tied to the desires for beauty and a husband's affection.

"The myth we took is that Kuyang does not kill, but the Banjar community misunderstands. In Banjar, Kuyang is usually related to desires for beauty, a husband's affection, and eternal youth," explains Asaf.

Set seven years before the mystical city gate of Saranjana opens, this film tells the story of a forbidden love between Rusmiati, a simple village girl, and Badri, a respected man. Their marriage is opposed by bad omens and pressure to have offspring.

In order to maintain love and dignity in front of demanding in-laws, Rusmiati boldly learns the Kuyang incantation. This decision triggers a series of mysterious terror that threatens babies and pregnant women in their village. When Rusmiati's secret is revealed, Badri faces a difficult choice between protecting his beloved wife or succumbing to the mob's fury. The film KUYANK is scheduled to premiere in theaters starting January 30, 2026.