Levitating (2026) by Wregas Bhanuteja

Around the world, contemporary cinema is increasingly exploring how traditional rituals survive in societies undergoing rapid modernization. Rather than portraying cultural heritage as something preserved only in museums or history books, filmmakers are examining how rituals continue shaping identity, community, and collective memory in the present day. Levitating (Para Perasuk) embraces this perspective through the story of Bayu, a young man determined to become the lead performer in his village’s spirit possession festival while fighting to save a sacred spring threatened by redevelopment. Directed by acclaimed Indonesian filmmaker Wregas Bhanuteja, the film transforms a unique local tradition into a universal story about belonging, responsibility, and cultural preservation.

Rather than treating spirit possession as a source of horror, Levitating presents it as a living cultural practice that binds generations together. The film blends comedy, drama, spirituality, and social commentary to examine how ambition evolves into responsibility when an entire community’s heritage is at stake. By placing ancient traditions alongside contemporary development pressures, Wregas Bhanuteja creates an emotionally rich drama that asks whether progress can coexist with the preservation of cultural identity.

➡️ Where to Watch: The film is currently awaiting wider theatrical and international release.

➡️ Key Takeaway: Levitating reimagines Indonesia’s spirit possession traditions as a vibrant story about cultural identity, community resilience, and the challenge of protecting living heritage in a rapidly changing world.

If you enjoy festival films that celebrate local traditions while exploring contemporary social issues, Levitating offers one of the most original cinematic experiences of the year. Rather than presenting spirit possession as horror, the film reframes it as an essential cultural ritual that connects generations, strengthens community identity, and preserves collective memory. Viewers interested in world cinema, cultural heritage, and emotionally rich coming-of-age stories will likely find its unique blend of humor, spirituality, and social commentary especially rewarding.

However, audiences expecting a supernatural horror film should know that Levitating deliberately avoids conventional genre expectations. Instead of focusing on fear, the film explores belonging, responsibility, and the struggle to protect traditions threatened by modernization. Its measured pacing and character-driven storytelling make it more reflective than suspenseful, prioritizing emotional authenticity over supernatural spectacle.

➡️ Key Takeaway: Levitating is ideal for viewers seeking a vibrant festival drama that celebrates cultural identity, living traditions, and the enduring importance of community.

One of the most remarkable aspects of Levitating is its decision to transform one of Indonesia’s most recognizable spiritual traditions into a joyful, emotionally layered community drama. Rather than portraying spirit possession as frightening or mysterious, Wregas Bhanuteja presents it as a vibrant cultural practice that reflects identity, heritage, and collective resilience. This fresh perspective distinguishes the film from conventional supernatural cinema, allowing it to become both a celebration of local culture and a thoughtful reflection on the pressures facing traditional communities in the modern world.

The film has also attracted international attention following its 2026 Sundance Film Festival nomination for the Grand Jury Prize (World Cinema – Dramatic), further establishing Wregas Bhanuteja as one of Southeast Asia’s most exciting contemporary filmmakers. Combined with its acclaimed performances, striking festival sequences, and timely themes surrounding cultural preservation and environmental protection, Levitating has emerged as one of the year’s standout international festival titles.

➡️ Key Takeaway: Levitating demonstrates how contemporary world cinema can transform local traditions into universally resonant stories about identity, community, and the fight to preserve living cultural heritage.

Across contemporary world cinema, cultural heritage has become an increasingly important theme as filmmakers explore how traditional rituals survive in rapidly changing societies. Rather than presenting ancient customs as relics of the past, many films now portray them as living cultural practices that continue shaping identity, community, and collective memory. Levitating reflects this growing cinematic movement by transforming Indonesia’s spirit possession festival into a vibrant story about belonging, responsibility, and the struggle to protect both cultural traditions and the natural environment that sustains them. Instead of treating spirituality as superstition, the film celebrates ritual as a source of social cohesion and cultural resilience.

Rather than using possession as a vehicle for horror, Wregas Bhanuteja presents it as a communal performance that carries history, values, and identity across generations. Bayu’s personal ambition gradually evolves into a deeper understanding that preserving his village requires protecting not only its sacred spring but also the traditions that give the community its sense of purpose. By linking environmental conservation with cultural preservation, Levitating demonstrates that heritage is not static—it survives only when each new generation chooses to protect it. The result is a joyful and emotionally resonant drama that celebrates the enduring power of community in an increasingly modern world.

➡️ Key Takeaway: Levitating shows that cultural heritage is not simply inherited—it must be actively protected, practiced, and passed on for communities to preserve their identity.

➡️ Movie Trend: Cultural Heritage

Levitating will particularly appeal to audiences who enjoy films rooted in local traditions while addressing universal themes. Its blend of humor, spirituality, community life, and environmental responsibility makes it accessible to viewers seeking authentic cultural experiences rather than conventional genre entertainment.

The film is also an excellent choice for viewers interested in discovering contemporary Indonesian cinema beyond horror. By presenting spirit possession through celebration, performance, and social responsibility, it offers a fresh perspective on Southeast Asian storytelling while remaining emotionally universal.

➡️ Key Takeaway: Levitating is ideal for viewers seeking an uplifting, culturally authentic drama that celebrates tradition, community, and the enduring value of protecting living heritage.

Levitating reflects a growing movement within international cinema where local traditions are becoming the foundation for globally accessible storytelling. Rather than adapting folklore into fantasy or horror, filmmakers increasingly use authentic cultural practices to explore universal themes such as identity, belonging, environmental stewardship, and community resilience. This approach allows audiences around the world to engage with unfamiliar traditions while recognizing emotions and challenges that transcend cultural boundaries.

The film also highlights the rising international profile of Indonesian cinema. Wregas Bhanuteja continues demonstrating that Southeast Asian filmmakers can create deeply local stories with global resonance, combining cultural specificity with contemporary social concerns. Its nomination for the 2026 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize (World Cinema – Dramatic) further reinforces the growing recognition of Indonesian filmmakers on the international festival circuit.

More broadly, Levitating illustrates how modern festival cinema is redefining stories about tradition. Instead of presenting heritage as something threatened only by time, it portrays culture as a living force that must continuously adapt while preserving its core values. By connecting ritual, environmental protection, and community identity, the film offers a hopeful vision of how tradition and progress can coexist.

➡️ Key Takeaway: Levitating demonstrates how contemporary world cinema is transforming local cultural traditions into globally relevant stories about identity, community, and the future of living heritage.

Levitating transforms a traditional spirit possession ritual into an emotionally rich story about identity, belonging, and cultural responsibility. Rather than treating possession as a supernatural horror device, Wregas Bhanuteja presents it as a living cultural practice that connects generations and strengthens community identity. The film explores how rituals become more than performances—they are shared expressions of history, memory, and collective purpose. By placing Bayu’s personal ambitions within the larger struggle to protect his village, Levitating becomes a story about growing into responsibility rather than simply achieving personal success.

What distinguishes the film is its ability to balance humor, spirituality, and social commentary without losing its emotional warmth. The possession festival provides spectacular visual moments, but it also serves as a metaphor for the relationship between individuals and their community. Rather than asking whether tradition should survive, the film asks who will choose to carry it into the future.

➡️ Key Takeaway: Levitating transforms cultural tradition into a powerful coming-of-age story about community, responsibility, and the importance of protecting living heritage.

The screenplay follows Bayu’s desire to become the lead performer in the village’s spirit possession festival, but his personal ambition gradually evolves into a deeper understanding of service and responsibility. Rather than framing success as individual achievement, the narrative shows that true leadership requires protecting the traditions and natural resources that sustain an entire community. This evolution gives the story emotional depth while avoiding conventional hero narratives.

The sacred spring becomes more than an environmental issue—it symbolizes the connection between culture, spirituality, and everyday life. As Bayu learns that preserving the festival also means preserving the land that gives it meaning, the screenplay links personal growth with collective responsibility in a way that feels both culturally specific and universally relatable.

➡️ Key Takeaway: The screenplay transforms an individual’s dream into a broader reflection on community leadership and cultural preservation.

Wregas Bhanuteja directs with confidence, combining vibrant festival sequences with intimate character moments. Rather than presenting traditional rituals as exotic spectacle, he integrates them naturally into everyday village life, allowing audiences to experience them from the perspective of the community itself. This respectful approach creates authenticity while making the cultural traditions accessible to international viewers.

His direction also balances multiple tones with remarkable ease. Comedy, drama, spirituality, and social commentary coexist naturally, creating a film that feels joyful without diminishing the seriousness of its themes. This tonal flexibility reflects the richness of community life, where celebration and hardship often exist side by side.

➡️ Key Takeaway: Bhanuteja’s direction celebrates cultural authenticity while crafting a universally engaging and emotionally resonant story.

Angga Yunanda delivers a charismatic performance as Bayu, portraying a young man whose confidence gradually matures into genuine responsibility. His transformation feels believable because it grows through experience rather than sudden revelation, allowing audiences to connect with both his ambition and his eventual understanding of what truly matters.

Maudy Ayunda, Anggun, and the supporting cast contribute to the film’s sense of community by portraying characters who embody different generations and perspectives within the village. Together, the ensemble creates a believable social world where every individual plays a role in preserving cultural traditions and collective identity.

➡️ Key Takeaway: The performances create an authentic sense of community, making the village itself feel like one of the film’s central characters.

The cinematography captures the spirit possession festival with extraordinary energy while maintaining its cultural significance. Rather than treating the rituals as supernatural events, the visuals emphasize movement, color, music, and collective participation, celebrating the vitality of living tradition. The festival sequences become expressions of communal identity rather than scenes designed purely for visual spectacle.

The natural landscapes of Yogyakarta also play a crucial role in the film’s visual language. The sacred spring and surrounding environment reinforce the story’s themes of environmental stewardship and cultural continuity, reminding viewers that heritage is inseparable from the places where it is practiced.

➡️ Key Takeaway: The visual style celebrates ritual as a living cultural experience, using landscape and performance to reinforce themes of identity and preservation.

At its heart, Levitating argues that cultural traditions remain meaningful only when they continue serving the communities that created them. The film suggests that rituals are not simply inherited customs but living practices requiring active participation, responsibility, and renewal. Bayu’s journey demonstrates that preserving heritage means protecting both the people and the environment that give those traditions life.

The story also explores the relationship between modernization and cultural identity. Rather than portraying progress as the enemy of tradition, it asks whether development can occur without sacrificing the values, rituals, and sacred places that define a community’s identity. In doing so, Levitating offers a hopeful vision in which tradition and modern life can coexist through collective responsibility.

➡️ Key Takeaway: Levitating reminds us that preserving culture is ultimately about protecting the communities, landscapes, and shared memories that allow traditions to remain alive.

While most films involving spirit possession use supernatural elements to create horror, Levitating completely reimagines the concept by presenting possession as celebration, performance, and cultural identity. This perspective transforms a familiar cinematic motif into something joyful, emotionally rich, and socially meaningful.

By combining coming-of-age storytelling, environmental themes, community values, and authentic Indonesian traditions, Wregas Bhanuteja creates a film that feels both culturally specific and universally resonant. Rather than using folklore to frighten audiences, Levitating uses it to celebrate resilience, belonging, and the enduring importance of living heritage.

➡️ Key Takeaway: Levitating stands apart by redefining spirit possession as a celebration of community and cultural identity, creating a uniquely uplifting vision of contemporary world cinema.

If Levitating captivated you with its celebration of living traditions, community identity, and the relationship between spirituality and modern life, these films similarly explore how cultural heritage continues shaping contemporary societies through emotionally rich storytelling.

Indonesia’s acclaimed drama explores family, tradition, gender, and community through a deeply human story rooted in local culture. Like Levitating, it presents regional traditions not as historical artifacts but as living realities that continue influencing people’s lives and identities.

This imaginative festival favorite blends folklore, local traditions, humor, and surreal storytelling into a uniquely original cinematic experience. Like Levitating, it demonstrates how culturally specific stories can become universally meaningful by celebrating community, shared rituals, and collective imagination.

Although animated and largely dialogue-free, the Academy Award-winning Flow similarly explores the relationship between humanity, nature, and collective survival. Like Levitating, it emphasizes cooperation, environmental stewardship, and the importance of preserving the bonds that connect communities in times of change.

➡️ Key Takeaway: These films demonstrate how contemporary world cinema increasingly celebrates cultural identity, community resilience, and humanity’s relationship with tradition and nature, proving that the most universal stories often emerge from deeply local experiences.

Levitating is one of the most original cultural dramas of recent years, transforming Indonesia’s spirit possession traditions into a vibrant story about identity, responsibility, and the importance of preserving living heritage. Wregas Bhanuteja avoids both horror clichés and nostalgic romanticism, instead presenting tradition as an active, evolving force that continues shaping communities in the present day. The result is a film that feels both culturally authentic and universally accessible.

Anchored by an engaging performance from Angga Yunanda and supported by a talented ensemble including Maudy Ayunda and Anggun, the film balances humor, emotion, spirituality, and social commentary with remarkable confidence. Its colorful festival sequences, strong environmental message, and celebration of collective identity create a cinematic experience that is both entertaining and deeply meaningful.

While viewers expecting a conventional supernatural thriller may be surprised by its lighter tone and character-driven approach, Levitating rewards audiences with a thoughtful exploration of culture, belonging, and community resilience. It demonstrates that traditions remain meaningful not because they belong to the past, but because each generation chooses to keep them alive.

➡️ Final Verdict: 4.7/5 — A vibrant, emotionally uplifting festival drama that beautifully celebrates cultural heritage, community spirit, and the enduring power of living traditions through one of the year’s most distinctive international films.