Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash (film)

Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash
Theatrical release poster
IndonesianSeperti Dendam, Rindu Harus Dibayar Tuntas
Directed byEdwin
Screenplay byEdwin
Eka Kurniawan
Based onVengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash by Eka Kurniawan
Produced byMeiske Taurisia
Muhammad Zaidy
StarringMarthino Lio
Ladya Cheryl
Sal Priadi
Reza Rahadian
Ratu Felisha
CinematographyAkiko Ashizawa
Edited byLee Chatametikool
Music byDave Lumenta
Production
companies
Palari Films
Phoenix Films
E&W Films
Match Factory Productions
Bombero International
Kaninga Pictures
Release dates
Running time
114 minutes[1]
CountryIndonesia
LanguageIndonesian

Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash (Indonesian: Seperti Dendam, Rindu Harus Dibayar Tuntas) is a 2021 Indonesian action black comedy-drama film directed by Edwin who also co-wrote the screenplay with Eka Kurniawan based on Kurniawan's best-selling book of the same name.[2] The film had its world premiere in August 2021 at the 74th Locarno Film Festival, where it won the top prize of Golden Leopard for Best Film.[3]

Edwin won his second Best Director nod at the 42nd Citra Awards, where the film won a total of 5 awards out of 12 nominations.

Plot

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Set in the 1980s in a society ruled by machismo, a hibernating "bird" becomes a serious matter. In a life of brutality, the sleeping bird is an allegory for a peaceful and serene life, even when the whole world tries desperately to rouse it.[2][4]

Cast

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These are the cast members of the film as announced by Palari Films in July 2021:[5]

Production

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Development

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In May 2016, Palari Films announced that they had secured the rights to adapt Eka Kurniawan's third novel Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash with Edwin on board to direct alongside collaborators Muhammad Zaidy and Meiske Taurisia as producers.[6] However, as the efforts to adapt the novelproved to be more challenging than expected, Edwin proposed to Palari Films that they pursue another project together while working on the adaptation,[2][7] which turned out to be Laksmi Pamuntjak's 2014 novel The Birdwoman's Palate, leading to Edwin's 2018 feature Aruna & Her Palate.[7]

To raise funds for the film, the film script was submitted to compete in international grant competitions as the production team believed it has an international appeal.[8] In 2016, the script won a US$15,000 grant for winning the Most Promising Project Award at the Asian Project Market held during the 2016 Busan International Film Festival in South Korea.[8][9] In 2018, it received a post-production grant from the post-production lab White Light Post at the Hong Kong Asian Film Financing Forum as well as a co-production grant from the Singapore Film Commission.[10][9] It also received another production grant from Bangkok-based Purin Pictures.[4]

Casting

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The film marks the return of Edwin's frequent collaborator Ladya Cheryl to the big screen since her last appearance in a feature film in 2012's Postcards from the Zoo, also directed by Edwin. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Edwin said that Cheryl's portrayal of Iteung is inspired by 80's action star Cynthia Rothrock.[11] Singer-songwriter Sal Priadi makes his feature film debut alongside Ratu Felisha and Citra Award winner Reza Rahadian in supporting roles.[12]

Release

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In July 2021, Variety reported that art house agency The Match Factory had acquired the film's distribution rights.[13] The film had its world premiere at the 74th Locarno Film Festival on 8 August 2021, where it won the Golden Leopard.[14] The film screened in the Contemporary World Cinema section of the 46th Toronto International Film Festival.[15] It was screened at the Filmfest Hamburg and 26th Busan International Film Festival in October 2021.[16][17] Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash was also screened at the BFI London Film Festival 2021 during the Dare section.[18]

The film was released theatrically in Indonesia on 2 December 2021.[19]

Reception

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Box office

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Vengeance Is Mine, All Other Pay Cash recorded a total of 85,004 admissions throughout its theatrical release in Indonesia, ranking it in the 11th spot among all domestic productions released in 2021.[20]

Critical response

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Writing for Variety, Jay Weissberg wrote that the film "delivers a withering critique of masculinity" while managing to be "enjoyable".[21] However, Weissberg was critical of the screenplay, noting that Edwin and co-writer Kurniawan "cram rather too many meandering plot lines".[21] Also for Variety, Diego Cepeda and Calin Boto called the film "a genre-bending portrayal of an angry impotent young man stuck in the middle of the macho Indonesian Eighties", referring to the film's main character Ajo Kawir and heavy influence of 80's pop culture.[22] Marta Bałaga of Cineuropa praised the film's "central romance" between Ajo Kawir and Iteung as "the most fun to watch", singling out Cheryl's portrayal of Iteung as a stand-out.[23] Similar to Weissberg, Bałaga also criticized the film's editing, calling it "very uneven, going from funny to dark to just weird, as if the editing couldn’t keep up with the ongoing brainstorming session".[23]

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Recipient Result Notes
2021 Locarno Film Festival Golden Leopard for Best Film Edwin Won
2021 Three Continents Festival Golden Montgolfiere for Best Film Nominated
2021 25th Online Film Critics Society Awards Best Non-US Release Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash Won
2021 Valladolid International Film Festival Golden Spike Edwin Nominated
Best Director of Photography Akiko Ashizawa Won
2021 14th Asia Pacific Screen Awards Achievement in Cinematography Nominated
2021 16th Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival Silver Harnoman Edwin Won
2021 5th Tempo Film Festival Best Film Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash Nominated
Best Director Edwin Nominated
Best Actor Marthino Lio Nominated
Best Actress Ladya Cheryl Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Reza Rahadian Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Ratu Felisha Nominated
2022 International Film Festival of Kerala World Cinema Edwin Nominated
2022 10th Maya Awards Best Feature Film Meiske Taurisia
Muhammad Zaidy
Nominated
Best Director Edwin Nominated
Best Actor in a Leading Role Marthino Lio Won
Best Actress in a Leading Role Ladya Cheryl Nominated
Best Actor in a Supporting Role Reza Rahadian Won
Best Actress in a Supporting Role Ratu Felisha Nominated
Best New Actor Sal Priadi Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay Edwin

Eka Kurniawan

Nominated
Best Cinematography Akiko Ashizawa Nominated
Best Editing Lee Chatametikool Nominated
Best Original Dave Lumenta Nominated
Best Theme Song Dave Lumenta
Indra Perkasa
Bonnie Rubin
Nominated Bangun Bajingan! ("Get Up, Bitch!", Performed by Ananda Badudu & Rubina)
Best Art Direction Eros Eflin Won
Best Makeup & Hairstyling Cherry Wirawan Won
Best Special Effects Rivai Chen Nominated
Best Poster Design Ferancis Nominated
Best Costume Design Gemailla Gea Won
2022 42nd Citra Awards Best Picture Meiske Taurisia
Muhammad Zaidy
Nominated
Best Director Edwin Won
Best Actor Marthino Lio Won
Best Actress Ladya Cheryl Won
Best Supporting Actor Reza Rahadian Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Ratu Felisha Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay Edwin

Eka Kurniawan

Won
Best Original Score Dave Lumenta Nominated
Best Original Song Nominated Bangun Bajingan! ("Get Up, Bitch!", Performed by Ananda Badudu & Rubina)
Best Costume Design Gemailla Gea Won
Best Art Direction Eros Eflin Nominated
Best Makeup & Hairstyling Cherry Wirawan Nominated
2022 35th Bandung Film Festival Best Film Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash Nominated
Best Director Edwin Nominated
Best Actor Marthino Lio Won
Best Actress Ladya Cheryl Nominated
Best Original Score Dave Lumenta Nominated
Best Art Direction Eros Eflin Won
2022 16th Indonesian Movie Awards Best Ensemble Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash Won
Favorite Film Nominated
Best Actor Marthino Lio Won
Favorite Actor Nominated
Best Actress Ladya Cheryl Nominated
Favorite Actress Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Reza Rahadian Nominated
Favorite Supporting Actor Won
Best Supporting Actress Ratu Felisha Nominated
Favorite Supporting Actress Nominated
Best Newcomer Sal Priadi Won
Favorite Newcomer Nominated
Best Chemistry Marthino Lio
Ladya Cheryl
Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "Vengeance is Mine, All Others Pay Cash".
  2. ^ a b c JawaPos.com (5 November 2020). "Film 'Seperti Dendam, Rindu Harus Dibayar Tuntas' Siap Tayang 2021". JawaPos.com (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on 5 November 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  3. ^ Kiang, Jessica (14 August 2021). "Golden Leopard Winner 'Vengeance is Mine, All Others Pay Cash' Heads Impressive Slate Of Locarno Awards". Variety. Archived from the original on 2 November 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash —". www.purinpictures.org. Archived from the original on 31 January 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  5. ^ "Palari Films on Twitter". Twitter (in Indonesian). 30 July 2021. Archived from the original on 30 July 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  6. ^ Maullana, Irfan (10 May 2016). "Seperti Dendam, Rindu Harus Dibayar Tuntas" Diangkat ke Layar Lebar". Kompas.com. Archived from the original on 11 May 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Menyatukan perbedaan Indonesia dengan makanan". 28 September 2018. Archived from the original on 28 September 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Usaha Memfilkan Novel Eka Kurniawan". beritagar.id. Archived from the original on 22 June 2019. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  9. ^ a b Efendi, Ali Satri (20 February 2020). "Kabar Terbaru Film "Seperti Dendam, Rindu Harus Dibayar Tuntas"". Infoscreening. Archived from the original on 17 September 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  10. ^ "White Light Post". White Light Post. Archived from the original on 16 February 2020.
  11. ^ Roxborough, Scott (6 August 2021). "Indonesian Director Edwin Talks Sex, Violence and Dictatorship in 'Vengeance Is Mine'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 16 August 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  12. ^ "Palari Films on Twitter". Twitter. Archived from the original on 30 July 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  13. ^ Barraclough, Leo (1 July 2021). "The Match Factory Acquires Locarno Competition Title 'Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on 1 February 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  14. ^ Roxborough, Scott (14 August 2021). "'Vengeance is Mine, All Others Pay Cash' Wins Locarno Film Festival". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  15. ^ Stiff, Victor (17 September 2021). "TIFF 2021: Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash Review". That Shelf. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  16. ^ Blaney, Martin (14 September 2021). "'Great Freedom', 'Paris, 13th District' to bookend 2021 Filmfest Hamburg". Screen. Archived from the original on 18 January 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  17. ^ Paramesti, Amira. "Ini Dia 5 Film Indonesia yang Bakal Tayang di Busan International Film Festival!" [Here are the five Indonesian films that will be screened at the Busan International Film Festival]. USS Feed. Archived from the original on 26 September 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  18. ^ White, James (8 September 2021). "BFI London Film Festival 2021 Full Programme Revealed, Including Last Night In Soho, The French Dispatch And Spencer". Empire Online. Archived from the original on 26 September 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  19. ^ antaranews.com (1 November 2021). ""Seperti Dendam, Rindu Harus Dibayar Tuntas" tayang 2 Desember 2021". Antara News. Archived from the original on 1 February 2023. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  20. ^ "Data penonton tahun 2021". filmindonesia.or.id. Archived from the original on 17 March 2023. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  21. ^ a b Weissberg, Jay (10 August 2021). "'Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash' Review: Retro '80s Action Homage Uses Sexual impotence as Social Critique". Variety. Archived from the original on 16 August 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  22. ^ Boto, Diego Cepeda,Calin; Cepeda, Diego; Boto, Calin (11 August 2021). "Edwin Calls for a Revival of Sensitivity With Locarno's 'Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash'". Variety. Archived from the original on 16 August 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  23. ^ a b Bałaga, Marta (12 August 2021). "Review: Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash". Cineuropa. Archived from the original on 28 May 2024. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
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