Levitating (Para Perasuk)

Indonesia/Singapore/France/Taiwan2026119 minIndonesian

In a town where pleasure equals being possessed by spiritual beings, Bayu aspires to be the shaman of a trance party so he can fundraise enough money to prevent an impending eviction.

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In a town where pleasure equals being possessed by spiritual beings, Bayu aspires to be the shaman of a trance party so he can fundraise enough money to prevent an impending eviction.

Levitating is a visceral ride through the esoteric world of trance dance hypnosis, led by Bayu, a young, talented spirit channeler. His powerful flute can transport open-hearted dancers to inhabit creature energies from the land and usher them into a collective hallucination realm.

But modernizing forces surrounding Bayu and his instrument threaten with increasingly distracting elements, which he must learn how to balance and integrate into his focus so that his flute maintains the ability to care for those it possesses.

Director Wregas Bhanuteja expertly wields the languages of music, dance, joy, pain, banter, and narrative power in this outstanding coming-of-age film that is also a tale of how an Indigenous community comes together — and stays together — through its own traditions to withstand capitalist forces. — SF

Available in person. Also available online for the public (January 29–February 1) and credentialed press and industry (January 28–February 1).

World Cinema Dramatic CompetitionAll FeaturesBIPOC StoriesEnvironmental StoriesIndigenous StoriesInternationalMusic FilmsNon-English LanguageAction/AdventureDramaExperimentalFictionRomanceThrillerEnglish SDH SubtitlesEnglish SubtitlesOpen CaptionU.S. Only- less

Credits

Director(s)
Wregas Bhanuteja
Screenwriter
Wregas Bhanuteja
Defi Mahendra
Alicia Angelina
Producer
Siera Tamihardja
Iman Usman
Amalia Rusdi
Cinematographer
Gunnar Nimpuno
Production Designer
Ong Hari Wahyu
Edy Wibowo
Editor
Ahmad Yuniardi
Sound Designer
Satrio Budiono
Sutrisno
Music Composer
Yennu Ariendra
Costume Designer
Fadillah Putri Yunidar
Hair & Makeup
Jerry Octavianus
VFX Director
Stefanus Binawan Utama
Choreography
Siko Setyanto
Principal Cast
Angga Yunanda
Anggun
Maudy Ayunda
Bryan Domani
Chicco Kurniawan

Company
Rekata Studio
Website
https://www.rekata.co/levitating
Contact
Iman Usman
iman@rekata.co

Meet the Artist

Wregas Bhanuteja

Wregas Bhanuteja has directed the short films Lembusura (2015 Berlinale), Prenjak (Best Short Film, 2016 Cannes Critics’ Week), and No One is Crazy in This Town (2020 Sundance Film Festival). His first feature, Photocopier, competed in 2021 at Busan. His second feature, Andragogy, world-premiered in 2023 at Toronto.

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