In This City Is A Battlefield, friends and lovers become freedom fighters in Jakarta’s post-WWII era
Singapore International Film Festival 2025
Indonesian historical drama This City Is A Battlefield (M18, 119 minutes, screens at GV Vivo Max on Dec 5, 7pm) comes from film-maker Mouly Surya, whose previous work, the neo-western thriller Marlina The Murderer In Four Acts (2017), was selected for the Cannes Film Festival and was Indonesia’s entry to the 2019 Academy Awards.
With City, her focus shifts to the heady time just after World War II. The people of Jakarta are yearning for freedom after the departure of the Japanese invaders, only for their dreams to be crushed by the brutal Dutch colonial authorities.
Teacher Isa (Chicco Jerikho) is a freedom fighter. In the midst of a dangerous mission, his guerilla group finds itself torn by conflicts born of romantic jealousy and family demands. This adaptation of Indonesian writer Mochtar Lubis’ 1952 novel A Road With No End was chosen as the closing film for the 54th International Film Festival Rotterdam in early 2025.
The Dec 5 screening includes a question-and-answer session with Surya and actors Jerikho, Ariel Tatum and Jerome Kurnia.
Where: Events for the festival will be held at various venues, including Oldham Theatre, National Archives of Singapore, 1 Canning Rise; Golden Village Bugis; Golden Village Cineleisure; Golden Village Suntec City; Golden Village VivoCity; Marina Bay Sands’ Sands Theatre; and National Gallery Singapore’s Gallery Theatre
MRT: Dhoby Ghaut/Clarke Quay/Bras Basah (nearest to Oldham Theatre and central venues)
When: Nov 26 to Dec 7, various timings
Admission: $25 (festival opening film), $15 (general film ticket), $20 (special presentations); festival passes and concessions available for students, full-time national servicemen and others via Sistic.com
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