‘The Invisible Guest’ Remake Director Danial Rifki on Suharto-Era Fear and Why His New Thriller Is About ‘How to Fight Back’

Indonesian director Danial Rifki’s remake of Spanish thriller “The Invisible Guest,” which he says was completed in 2023 before exclusivity clauses with HBO held up its release, finally reached the big screen at Jakarta World Cinema. It is one of three Rifki films at the festival. The Falcon Pictures production, which reworks Oriol Paulo’s 2016 […] Danial Rifki on his police thriller ‘Sandal Jepit No. 10,’ Suharto-era fear and his long-delayed ‘The Invisible Guest’ remake. Indonesian director Danial Rifki’s remake of Spanish thriller “The Invisible Guest,” which he says was completed in 2023 before exclusivity clauses with HBO held up its release, finally reached the big screen at Jakarta World Cinema.

It is one of three Rifki films at the festival. The Falcon Pictures production, which reworks Oriol Paulo’s 2016 hit “Contratiempo” for an Indonesian setting, stars Reza Rahadian, Mawar de Jongh and Arifin Putra. It debuted on HBO Max on Aug. 7. Rifki tells Variety that the matter has only recently been resolved. He also has two new features at the festival: romantic comedy “Tua Tua Keladi” and thriller “Sandal Jepit No. 10.” Set among the older residents of a small village, “Tua Tua Keladi” follows the chaos that breaks out when a chemical