JOURNAL ARTICLE

Natasha Tontey on Riar Rizaldi.

  • Published In: ArtAsiaPacific, 2026, n. 148. P. 17 1 of 2

  • Database: Art Source Ultimate 2 of 2

Abstract

The article focuses on Riar Rizaldi’s video essay *Ghost Like Us* (2020), which critically examines Indonesian horror cinema produced during Suharto’s New Order military dictatorship. Rizaldi explores how this genre functioned as propaganda, reinforcing moral binaries and class divisions within Indonesian society. The work also highlights marginalized, independent films like *Misteri Bondowoso* (2005), created by East Javanese shamans, as acts of resistance against mainstream political and cinematic narratives. Rizaldi challenges conventional distinctions between highbrow and lowbrow culture, suggesting that kitsch and intellectualism can coexist, and emphasizes the political significance of underground cinema in understanding Indonesia’s complex cultural and historical dynamics. [Extracted from the article]

Additional Information

  • Source:ArtAsiaPacific. 2026/05, Issue 148, p17
  • Document Type:Film/TV Criticism and Review
  • Subject Area:Visual Arts
  • Publication Date:2026
  • ISSN:1039-3625
  • Accession Number:193258788
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