Barunson E&A, the production company behind Korean Oscar-winner “Parasite,” is investing in base Entertainment’s upcoming Indonesian horror film “Respati.” The Korean company will also take on worldwide sales duties and pre-sell rights at the upcoming European Film Market in Berlin.
“Respati” tells the story of a teenager with the ability to enter other people’s dreams. When he witnesses a dark spirit taking people’s lives in their dreams, he quickly realizes that it’s related to the mysterious deaths that are happening in the real world.
The film is currently in post-production and aiming for a theatrical release in May this year.
“Respati” is directed by Sidharta Tata, an up-and-coming director who ranked fifth at 2023 Indonesian local box office with his directorial debut “Waktu Maghrib.” His most recent film “Ali Topan” premiered at the Busan International Film Festival later last year and is set to release on Feb. 14, 2024, in Indonesia.
base Entertainment, the production company behind “Respati,” previously produced Joko Anwar’s 2019 hit film “Impetigore” and Netflix original series “Cigarette Girl,” which also launched in Busan last year. base also produced 2021’s “Trese,” which was Netflix’s first original anime series from Southeast Asia.
The investment is Barunson E&A’s second in a non-Korean title since the launch of its international operations in Oct. 2022. Barunson E&A expects to continue focusing on international co-production and film finance.
Sylvie Kim, head of international business unit of Barunson E&A, said, “We are looking out for projects that have unique concept produced by a strong creative team. We believe Respati is a horror piece that has great potential to be received well by the audience not only in Indonesia, but around the world.”
“We’ve had fun creating a fresh perspective on the horror film and looking forward to sharing it with everyone,” said Tata.
“This is a thrilling and innovative film [which we look forward to bringing] to a wide audience,” said Shanty Harmayn, co-chief executive of base Entertainment.
