Still from After the Curfew — After the Curfew (1954) — Usmar IsmailPhotographed by Max Tera

Usmar Ismail

After the Curfew

Name: After the Curfew
Genre: Drama, World Cinema Project
Released: 1954
Duration: 101 min

Lewat Djam Malam

Indonesia / Indonesian / 1954 / 1h 41m

Drama World Cinema Project

Watch Now On

Criterion Collection: Spine №1046
Letterboxd: 3.70/5·3.5K ratings·1.2K reviewson Letterboxd
Connections: View Connections

Synopsis

Giving voice to the anguish of a nation fighting for its soul, Usmar Ismail’s AFTER THE CURFEW follows the descent into disillusionment of a former freedom fighter who is unable to readjust to civilian life following the revolution that gave Indonesia its independence from the Netherlands. Steeped in moody atmospherics and psychological tension, the film struck its national cinema like a bolt of lightning, illuminating on-screen, for the first time and with unflinching realism, the emotional toll of Indonesian society’s postcolonial struggles.