A shaman instructs Mila to return a mystical bracelet, the Kawaturih, to the “Dancing Village,” a remote site on the easternmost tip of Java Island. Joined by her cousin, Yuda, and his friends Jito and Arya, Mila arrives on the island only to discover that the village elder has passed away, and that the new guardian, Mbah Buyut, isn’t present. Various strange and eerie events occur while awaiting Mbah Buyut’s return, including Mila being visited by Badarawuhi, a mysterious, mythical being who rules the village. When she decides to return the Kawaturih without the help of Mgah Buyut, Mila threatens the village’s safety, and she must join a ritual to select the new “Dawuh,” a cursed soul forced to dance for the rest of her life.
While the long synopsis really spoils most of the film, it is necessary as the language, religion, and cultural differences between Western and Eastern audiences here are significant. Most Western watchers will not be acquainted with the traditions and religion of Indonesia. While the film is mostly self-explanatory, it is easy for one to get lost in the mysticism of it all.
Dancing Village is an interesting beast. It is a follow-up to the highest-grossing film to come out of Indonesia (KKN Desa Penari) and is also based on a true story…at least, it is based on a Twitter (X) story that garnered a lot of interest. It is meant to be part of the ‘KNN universe’ which is a horror universe gaining popularity in Indonesia. KKN refers to a ‘Real-work study’ program that is widely considered corrupt. There is obviously a lot of context that I am missing here but these films have nonetheless boosted tourism and interest in older heritage sites and less-frequented regions of the nation. Horror doing good for the people.
The film is a pleasant watch, though perhaps a touch long with a runtime of just over two hours. There are a number of memorable scenes and characters, particularly worth mentioning being the dance ceremonies at the start and end of the films and the bathhouse scenes. The first two acts build solidly but the final act leaves a lot to be desired. All the pieces come together but—lacking the cultural significance of the lead character’s actions—I was left very confused with the whys and hows of the epilogue. Things ended somewhat abruptly without much context which was ultimately disappointing.
I’ve seen a number of decent genre films coming out of Asia in the last few years, some Laotian and Thai directors have really upped the reputations of the region and while Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan have been producing quality for a while, it’s nice to see that passion pouring over into the Southeast Asia/Indochina regions.
Overall, I’d say to give it a watch if you, like me, are an inquisitive individual who likes to plunge into other cultures headfirst. It’s not standard fair—definitely something exotic and but still very esoteric. Thanks for reading and as always, stay sordid. Dancing Village: The Curse Begins premieres tomorrow on Shudder. The trailer and artwork are posted below.
