Ghost in the Cell: Joko Anwar's Film with the Largest Ensemble Cast

JAKARTA – Production house Come and See Pictures has presented a horror-comedy film entitled Ghost in the Cell. Written and directed by Joko Anwar, the film serves as a response to various social and political issues occurring in Indonesia.

Joko said the prison setting was chosen for compelling reasons. According to him, prison is an apt miniature representation of the realities of life and the dynamics between civilians and government.

“At Come and See Pictures, we make films based on what is relevant in Indonesia today. We feel as though we are imprisoned. And prison is a miniature of life, of society. The dynamics between the public and the government in a prison setting are also very powerful,” Joko said at a press conference in Epicentrum, Jakarta, on Monday (23/2/2026).

Beyond serving as socio-political reflection, the film is also Joko’s attempt to address the nation’s collective trauma. He argued that Indonesian society tends to avoid discussing collective trauma, even though doing so is essential to ensure that tragic events of the past are not repeated.

“When it comes to our collective trauma as a nation, we tend not to want to talk about it. Yet it is important, so that it does not happen again now or in the future,” Joko said.

Joko said the film has been in development since 2018. From the outset, he and his team also sought to address an important but rarely discussed issue: deforestation. He admitted to being deeply affected and saddened when disasters caused by deforestation actually struck Sumatra and Aceh some time ago.