Program Note
As a child, Sita witnessed the tragic loss of her parents due to a bombing terrorist. Just before the explosion, the terrorist told Sita that he was a martyr and, according to Muslim tradition, would go to heaven to avoid the torture in the grave that sinners must endure when buried. Haunted by the terrorist's words, the adult Sita has one remaining purpose in life: to prove that the torture in the grave does not exist and is fearmongering by religion. Determined to demonstrate her belief, she lies in a grave with the corpse of the most wicked person she can find, only to be confronted with an unexpected and even more horrifying terror. Grave Torture, a new film by Joko Anwar, is expanded from a 2012 omnibus short he co-created with Iguchi Noboru and Erik Matti. Embedding social criticism in a mastery blending of horror and psychological thriller, Anwar's distinctive style shines through the seamless plot and precise mise-en-scène. Sharp yet thoughtful questioning of the relationship between religion and humanity reveals another layer of Anwar's prowess as a filmmaker. (Jin PARK)