Suzanna: More Than Just Indonesia’s Horror Queen

Suzanna is a name well-known in Indonesia, especially among fans of horror films from the 80s and 90s. A new documentary, Suzzanna: The Queen of Black Magic, premiered on the fourth day of the Jakarta Film Week 2024, delving into Suzanna’s life both within the Indonesian film industry and on a personal level.

Ekky Imanjaya, the producer of Suzzanna: The Queen of Black Magic, acknowledged the significant challenges involved in creating the documentary. One of the main hurdles was locating archival material on Suzanna, which was often incomplete or restricted by copyright issues.

The documentary was inspired by director David Gregory’s fascination with Suzanna’s enduring fame in Indonesia. Ekky explained that David wanted to introduce Suzanna’s legacy to an international audience as well.

Ekky and David’s research for the documentary focused on two key elements. First, they conducted research alongside the production process, crafting interview questions and identifying interview subjects, ranging from Suzanna’s makeup artist to younger fans of her films.

Second, Ekky sought out restored versions of Suzanna’s films to maintain the documentary’s quality. Footage from these films was included as transitions between interviews, adding a historical and visual richness to the film.

Although the documentary is already available overseas in a DVD boxset, Ekky expressed pride that Jakarta Film Week 2024 became the first festival in Indonesia to screen Suzzanna: The Queen of Black Magic. For Ekky, Suzanna has become an enduring icon of Indonesian horror, beloved by audiences across generations.

For Ekky, Suzanna’s haunting yet melancholic gaze remains one of her most defining features. During a Q&A session at CGV Grand Indonesia’s Audi 7 studio, he recommended two of his favorite Suzanna films to the audience: Sundel Bolong and Santet.

Ekky hopes that Suzzanna: The Queen of Black Magic will be screened in cinemas across Indonesia, given its warm reception abroad. He is also open to collaborations with OTT platforms to make the documentary accessible to a wider audience.

For more information on the Jakarta Film Week 2024 program and events, visit www.jakartafilmweek.com and follow us on social media @jakartafilmweek. Don’t miss the chance to be part of this international celebration of cinema in Jakarta!

Nabila Dwiputri | Nanda Hadiyanti