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Tari Kematian

Name: Tari Kematian
Director: Bram Ferino
Released: 2023
Duration: 107 min

Representation Score

7.2/10

Good

2023

13+

Director

Bram Ferino

Runtime

107 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Tari Kematian provides a nuanced exploration of Indonesian cultural mysticism and the breakdown of traditional family structures. By focusing on a forbidden local dance, the film avoids Western storytelling clichés and embraces regional identity. While the film successfully presents psychologically complex female characters, it remains limited in its representation of diverse identities. The absence of LGBTQ+ themes and the ambiguous handling of mental health issues prevent a higher diversity score. Overall, the film is a study of cultural specificity and domestic instability, offering a more complex view of womanhood and tradition compared to typical horror films.

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Category Breakdown

Does Tari Kematian have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film does not include any explicit LGBTQ+ characters or non-cisgender identities. The narrative stays within the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender.

How does Tari Kematian portray gender?

Fair

The story focuses on women's empowerment through Kinara's journey and Diah's psychological complexity. It challenges traditional stereotypes by presenting a mother who disrupts rather than conforms to conventional nurturing roles.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Tari Kematian?

Good

The film is rooted in Indonesian culture, using local traditions and mysticism as central themes. This approach prioritizes regional practices over a Western perspective.

How does Tari Kematian represent religion and culture?

Good

The narrative explores moral ambiguity through a forbidden dance and questions the stability of the nuclear family. It portrays traditional institutions as potential sources of dysfunction.

Does Tari Kematian include disability representation?

Fair

Diah’s delusional disorder introduces mental health issues into the main storyline. This inclusion shifts the story away from purely able-bodied perspectives.

Present on Screen

Strong focus on Indonesian cultural traditions and local mysticism.
Challenges traditional female roles through complex, non-nurturing matriarchal figures.
Explores psychological instability and non-traditional domestic dynamics.

Limited or Absent

Lack of visible LGBTQ+ representation or non-cisgender identities.
Limited exploration of disability-focused ability to act beyond plot-driven mental health elements.

Official Synopsis

Kinara (Clarice Cutie), a class X high school student, dreams of becoming a skilled dancer like her mother. Meanwhile, her mother, Diah (Lilis Suganda), has had a delusional disorder since her husband left. Diah did not support Kinara's decision to become a dancer. In addition, Kinara was not very good at dancing, so she was often made fun of by her friends at the school's dance studio. A strange incident happened to him when he was on a study tour to an island. He learns an ancient dance that is forbidden because it is considered deadly. His return from the island made him a good dancer. However, it actually puts the lives of his friends and loved ones at risk.

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