Reza Rahadian and Dian Sastrowardoyo to Star in Yosep Anggi Noen’s ‘The Sea Speaks His Name’

Indonesian filmmaker Yosep Anggi Noen, known for The Redemption of Sin, is bringing the celebrated novel The Sea Speaks His Name (Laut Bercerita) by Leila S. Chudori to cinema audiences. The adaptation features an ensemble cast including Reza Rahadian, Dian Sastrowardoyo, Yunita Siregar, Eva Celia, Christine Hakim, and Arswendy Beningswara.

The project, introduced at the JAFF Market, is currently in production through PAL8 Pictures in collaboration with VMS Studio, Jagartha, Lynx Films, and Brandlink. The story revolves around the Wibisono family, whose eldest son, Biru Laut, disappears in the 1990s. While parents Arya Wibisono and his wife cling to hope for their sons survival, daughter Asmara Jati becomes convinced that he is lost.

Set against Indonesias democracy movement during the 1990s, the narrative follows university student Biru Laut, whose pursuit of justice draws him into the Winatra group, a secret collective of activists using writing and speech to challenge authoritarian rule. The film unfolds through dual viewpoints: Biru Lauts poetic and idealistic perspective and his sister Asmara Jatis later quest to uncover her brothers fate among families still awaiting answers.

Noen described the film as, not a conventional love story but a tale of young people standing by their principles and expressing their voices. He emphasized that resistance is timeless, connecting generations.

The adaptation is based on a novel that has been reprinted over 120 times, with roughly 700,000 copies sold and an estimated readership of 1.4 million. The production will showcase period-specific visuals, including protests, mass gatherings, and underground meetings, alongside music, fashion, communication technologies, and entertainment icons to highlight parallels with todays youth.

In an era where history can be obscured by misinformation, propaganda, and digital echo chambers, fiction becomes crucial, Noen explained, aiming to extract real events and reconstruct them to inspire curiosity.

The creative team includes producer Gita Fara, co-scriptwriters Chudori and Noen, cinematographer Batara Goempar, production designer Ahmad Zulkarnaen, editor Dinda Amanda, costume designer Retno Ratih Damayanti, and makeup designer Aktris Handrajasa.

PAL8 Pictures, a Tempo Media Group production house with over 50 years of experience in the press industry, is making its feature film debut with this project and plans to continue producing socially and historically relevant stories. Co-producers include VMS (Visual Media Studio), known for films like Pemandu Jenazah and Maryam: Janji dan Jiwa yang Terikat; Jagartha Group, a pioneer in Indonesian film financing with credits including Mencuri Raden Saleh and Sore: Istri dari Masa Depan; and Lynx Films, established in 2004 and recognized for collaborations with director Garin Nugroho, with recent short films Pulang and Galura Tropikalia Alive featured at this years Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival.

The production aims for a release in the third quarter of 2026.

Author: Sophia Brooks