Lifelike Pictures has announced a long-term collaboration through 2022 with homegrown streaming service Mola TV, with its first two projects the web series Detektif Soleh (Pious Detective) and Angkringan (street food cart).

The two new series are to be released exclusively on Mola TV in October or November, said Lifelike Pictures producer Sheila Timothy.

“The first series [is] a comedy satire [in the] slice of life [genre]. The second is about an old man who has a food cart, it’s a family drama,” Sheila said during a press conference on Monday, adding that the Lifelike-Mola collaboration planned to release more series in the future.  

“Mola TV can be an alternative [way] to connect filmmakers with their audience. There’s a certain [sense of] fulfillment when your film is screened at a cinema, but as technology flourishes, OTT [over-the-top streaming service] can be an alternative that allows people to stream [content] whenever and wherever they want,” she said.

Established in August 2019, Mola TV is known for its sports and other international content, and had garnered around 12 million viewers two months after its launch.

“Since the beginning, we [relied on] sports and related content, including soccer matches, to introduce ourselves.” said Mirwan Suwarso of Mola TV, although he noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had affected numerous sports events.

Mola TV aims to support the Indonesian film industry through its collaboration with Lifelike Pictures.

Mudik (Homecoming), produced by Relate Films and Lifelike Pictures, is to mark the beginning of the Mola TV collaboration when it is released on the streaming service on Aug. 28.

Mirwan said that watching Mudik did not require a paid subscription, as it was being offered as a pay-per-view feature available for 24 hours after purchase.

“Consider it alternative cinema. Tickets are available at prices starting from Rp 17,500 (US$1.19), and all proceeds will go to the filmmakers,” he said. 

Viewers must sign up to the Mola TV website to purchase tickets through the OVO digital payment service, a BCA virtual account, a Permata Bank virtual account, bank transfers or a credit card.

Helmed by Adriyanto “Adri” Dewo, Mudik competed at the 4^th International Film Festival & Awards Macao (IFFAM) in December 2019 and the CinemAsia Film Festival in Amsterdam in March 2020. The film follows married couple Firman (Ibnu Jamil) and Aida (Putri Ayudya), who become involved in an accident that claims a man’s life as they are heading to their hometown for Idul Fitri. The film also features actors Asmara Abigail and Yoga Pratama. 

Sheila said that Mudik offered a unique, spiritual angle in its storytelling.

“I think Adri has a special touch as a director. He has the ability to narrate a [character’s story] and make it interesting,” she said.

Adri, who also wrote the screenplay, expressed his hope that watching Mudik would prompt viewers to reflect on themselves and their relationship with God. (wng) 

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