The mystery horror film “Bisikan Desa Gringsing: Whispers of Fatimah” released its first video and premiered in Indonesian cinemas in September, producers Mandela Pictures and Oceanus Media Global (OMG Studios) revealed.

The story centers on Hesti, a young girl searching for her missing father who is swept up in the terror surrounding the restless spirit of Fatimah, a presence said to have haunted the isolated village of Desa Gringsing for generations.

The clip features Hesti, played by Aghniny Haque, as she comes face to face for the first time with the spectral Fatimah, played by Fatmah Nadhi.

Directed and written by Ivander Tedjasukmana, the film is a tri-territory co-production involving Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. It is one of the first Indonesian horror films filmed with virtual production technology and employs an LED volumetric set. Instead of conventional exterior shots or green screens, the production used high-resolution LED walls that displayed photorealistic digital environments in real time to recreate the fog-filled roads and otherworldly atmosphere of the cursed village of Desa Gringsing.

“It is an honor to be entrusted with a project that uses virtual production technology,” said Tedjasukmana. “Working on ‘Bisikan Desa Gringsing’ presented new challenges, not only for me, but also for the cast and almost all departments involved. Fortunately, Mandela Pictures and OMG Studios are an exceptional team whose experience allowed us to overcome all obstacles. I hope that audiences experience the results of that effort when they see the film in theaters.”

“Playing Hesti was my first experience working on a virtual production,” Haque added. “On the one hand, it was exciting because multiple locations could be created within a single set. But it also required a completely different acting approach. It challenged me to develop new techniques and ultimately became an opportunity to explore a different dimension of my craft.”

The cast includes Surya Saputra, Kiki Narendra, Iskak Khivano, Hesti Putri, Nina Tamam, Iyang Darmawan, Akun Gege and Mian Tiara. With post-production now in its final phase, “Bisikan Desa Gringsing” will be released in Indonesian cinemas on September 24, followed by releases in Malaysia, Singapore, Turkey and Azerbaijan.

The producers are Manoj K. Samtani, Deepak M. Samtani, Lachman G. Samtani, Nick GC Tan, Chan Pui Yin and Yogi Arifandy. The production was supported by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) of Singapore, the Studios Film Office (SFO) and the Ministry of Culture of Indonesia. OMG Studios’ virtual production set is located at Iskandar Malaysia Studios (IMS) in Johor, Malaysia, a facility supported by Khazanah Nasional.

Watch the video here: