The Hole, 309 Days to the Bloodiest Tragedy

When a spate of gruesome killings rocks the countryside in East Jakarta, army officer Soegeng is tasked with clearing up rumours about the military’s involvement. Soegeng’s investigation, however, confronts him with the foundations of corruption – a truth too close for comfort.

Early 1960s, Indonesia. The village of Lubang Buaya is witness to a series of macabre murders with a particular signature: killed on the 30th of each month, the victims are left with a gaping hole in their bodies; their faces inscribed with words like “greedy” and “heartless”. Who is the perpetrator? The Hollow Ghost, believe some. The Communists, say others. When asked if it could be a psychopath, army officer Soegeng replies, “More than that. People like me.”

Hanung Bramantyo (Gowok: Javanese Kama Sutra, IFFR 2025) returns with The Hole, 309 Days To The Bloodiest Tragedy, a subversive investigative thriller powered by a formidable supernatural engine. Bramantyo’s historical-mythical cocktail draws inspiration from the swarm of theories surrounding the 30 September Movement of 1965, when six army generals were assassinated in Lubang Buaya preceding a failed military coup. The film departs from this defining moment in Indonesian history into something timeless and folkloric, suggesting the dangerously easy passage from political discourse to superstition.

Shifting effortlessly between crime mystery and horror, The Hole takes a chilling journey into the heart of darkness.

– Srikanth Srinivasan