Jakarta, September 18, 2018 – BASE Entertainment is a new film studio which is a merger of three film companies, SALTO FILMS which was founded by Shanty Harmayn (producer, Garuda in Dadaku, Sang Penari), MILLION PICTURES by Ben Soebiakto and Aoura Chandra (producer, Negeri 5 Menara), and KAWI CONTENT based in Singapore which was founded by Tanya Yuson.
In the rapid growth of Indonesian films, BASE Entertainment focuses on funding, developing stories, and Intellectual Property, also film distribution in Indonesia. BASE wants to present the best movies to movie-goers by always trying to produce high-quality stories and high-quality production, and relevant to Indonesian audiences. BASE will cooperate with the best talents in Indonesia.
BASE Entertainment’s first project is a slate or series of three films by Joko Anwar, working together in funding and film production with Ivanhoe Pictures from Los Angeles, CJ Entertainment, and Rapi Films. These three films, mentioned in the order of their production, are: Impetigore, Ghost in the Cell, and The Vow. The Impetigore film will begin its production in February 2019, followed by two other films each year. These three films will be directed by Joko Anwar, from a scenario he wrote himself.
Speaking about BASE’s first production series with Joko Anwar, Shanty said, “We’ve been looking forward to work with Joko, and this joint production plan has been prepared from the beginning of 2017. We love his ideas! We believe that Joko’s story ideas are a series of projects that are very appropriate for our collaboration with Ivanhoe Pictures and CJ Entertainment, which are focusing on Asian stories both for local and international markets.”
Sunil Samtani, producer of Rapi Films who was also involved in this collaboration expressed his positive enthusiasm. “We are confident that this collaboration with BASE Entertainment and Ivanhoe Pictures will bring more diversity to Indonesian films. Especially done by Joko Anwar, whose quality is undeniable and has enormous mass appeal.”
Ivanhoe Pictures is a film company that produces films and television series more on Asian stories, including Crazy Rich Asians, Hollywood’s best-selling comedy in the last 3 years, which was released on August 15, 2018.
Michael Hogan, President of International Production of Ivanhoe Pictures, said, “This is a golden opportunity for Ivanhoe to start film production in Indonesia with BASE Entertainment and CJ Entertainment. The knowledge and experience of BASE Entertainment in the Indonesian film world greatly helped us to develop quality films in the growing and flourishing Indonesian film market. We can’t miss the opportunity to work with Joko Anwar, because he is a talented director whose work has always attracted the attention of film viewers at the world level.”
Joko Anwar also added, “I am very happy to be able to work with many parties who already have experience in movie making at various international markets, so that I can gain more knowledge.” The latest film directed by Joko Anwar, Pengabdi Setan (2017), is still Indonesia’s best-selling horror film of all time, with a total audience of 4.2 million viewers.
The rapid development of Indonesian film industry that shows positive trend needs to be maintained so that the industry can be sturdier. Seeing these great opportunities, Base Entertainment is forming a film fund with its focus on funding film projects and film supporting industry. Aoura L. Chandra added, “We were visited by investors from home and abroad, and we are in discussions with several parties.”
In addition to the collaboration of these three films with Joko Anwar, earlier this year BASE Entertainment has also participated in funding the children’s film Kulari Ke Pantai (2018) by Mira Lesmana and Riri Riza. BASE will also do a co-production with the New Amsterdam Film Company in the war thriller titled The East Indies by Dutch director Jim Taihuttu (2020 release), and is developing a story from an adaptation of the best and famous graphic novel from the Philippines titled Trese, by Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo.
Until 2020, BASE Entertainment plans to make 15 to 20 titles for theater release and serial screen.
