Teuku Rifnu Transforms Himself into a Ustaz Full of Riddles in the Film 'THE MURDER OF SANTET SHAMANS', Admits He Didn't Do Much Research

Kapanlagi.com - THE MURDER OF SANTET SHAMANS, a horror film directed by Azhar Kinoi Lubis, presents Teuku Rifnu Wahyu in a quite challenging role as Ustaz Ridwan. In this film set to be released on May 8, 2025, Rifnu plays the character of an ustaz who strives to keep the pesantren from being influenced by the chaos happening around them.

"In THE MURDER OF SANTET SHAMANS, I play Ustaz Ridwan, a very good ustaz, who tries to maintain order in the pesantren, ensuring that there is no damage to the character of the children," said Rifnu when met in the Kuningan area of South Jakarta on Monday (5/5/2025) evening.

This film is set against the backdrop of the massacre of people accused of being santet shamans in 1998. The conflict is depicted in a pesantren setting located in a small town. The filming location is equally interesting, as shooting took place in a remote area in Cirebon.

1. Not Much Research

"So this film reminds us of the year '98 when people who practiced black magic were all slaughtered, and the political atmosphere at that time was also very dark in Indonesia," explained Rifnu.

The remote shooting location adds a profound impression to this film. Rifnu recounted, "Yes, it's quite (isolated), it's actually a tourist spot, it was once used as a rock climbing site in the Cirebon area."

Rifnu also revealed that to portray the character of Ustaz Ridwan, he did not need much research because he has been accustomed to a religious environment since childhood. "No, because since I was a child I have learned, I have been in madrasah, learned to read the Quran, have studied Arabic, everything has been studied," he said.

2. Big Challenges

Teuku Rifnu © KapanLagi.com/Sahal Fadhli

However, even though the role of Ustaz Ridwan seems easy, he still faces big challenges. Rifnu has to build a character that can be trusted by the audience as a good figure, even though there is a layer of mystery surrounding him. "Yeah, it's difficult, but this is a challenge, how can people believe in the tajwid that this ustaz is real, all the verses I read are correct, right up to the best ending," he said.

Rifnu also emphasized that his goal in acting is to convey a message to the audience. "My goal is to let the audience know, do not do what the character does. I apologize, oh Allah, my only intention is that, I am spreading the message in a different way and I have no bad intentions, insyaAllah," he expressed.

The film MASSACRE OF BLACK MAGIC PRACTITIONERS presents a story that touches on dark historical events in Indonesia, with horror that feels more real thanks to the performances of the cast, including Rifnu. Audiences will soon be treated to a thrilling experience on the big screen on May 8, 2025.

(kpl/aal/tdr)