Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash (film)

Set in the 1980s in a society ruled by machismo, a hibernating "bird" becomes a serious matter. In a life of brutality, the sleeping bird is an allegory for a peaceful and serene life, even when the whole world tries desperately to rouse it.{{Cite web|title=Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash —|url=https://www.purinpictures.org/vengeance-is-mine-all-others-pay-cash|access-date=3 February 2021|website=www.purinpictures.org|language=en-US|archive-date=31 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131161638/https://www.purinpictures.org/vengeance-is-mine-all-others-pay-cash|url-status=live}}

These are the cast members of the film as announced by Palari Films in July 2021:{{Cite web|date=2021-07-30|title=Palari Films on Twitter|url=https://twitter.com/palarifilms/status/1418467945378770945|access-date=2021-07-30|website=Twitter|language=id|archive-date=30 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730143724/https://twitter.com/palarifilms/status/1418467945378770945|url-status=live}}

{{Cast listing|

• Marthino Lio as Ajo Kawir
• Ladya Cheryl as Iteung
• Sal Priadi as Tokek
• Reza Rahadian as Budi Baik
• Ratu Felisha as Jelita
• Kevin Ardilova as Mono Ompong
• Lukman Sardi as Codet
• Eduwart Manalu as Kumis
• Djenar Maesa Ayu as Rona Merah
• Kiki Narendra as Kumbang
• Piet Pagau as Paman Gembul
• Yudi Ahmad Tajudin as Iwan Angsa
• Ayu Laksmi as Wa Sami
• Christine Hakim as Mak Jerot
• Cecep Arif Rahman as Ki Jempes

}}

In May 2016, Palari Films announced that they had secured the rights to adapt Eka Kurniawan's third novel Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash with Edwin on board to direct alongside collaborators Muhammad Zaidy and Meiske Taurisia as producers.{{Cite web|last=Maullana|first=Irfan|date=10 May 2016|title=Seperti Dendam, Rindu Harus Dibayar Tuntas" Diangkat ke Layar Lebar|url=https://entertainment.kompas.com/read/2016/05/10/202438010/Novel.Seperti.Dendam.Rindu.Harus.Dibayar.Tuntas.Diangkat.ke.Layar.Lebar|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160511121946/http://entertainment.kompas.com/read/2016/05/10/202438010/Novel.Seperti.Dendam.Rindu.Harus.Dibayar.Tuntas.Diangkat.ke.Layar.Lebar|archive-date=11 May 2016|access-date=4 February 2021|website=Kompas.com|url-status=live}} However, as the efforts to adapt the novelproved to be more challenging than expected, Edwin proposed to Palari Films that they pursue another project together while working on the adaptation,{{Cite web|date=28 September 2018|title=Menyatukan perbedaan Indonesia dengan makanan|url=https://beritagar.id/artikel/laporan-khas/menyatukan-perbedaan-indonesia-dengan-makanan|access-date=3 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180928121529/https://beritagar.id/artikel/laporan-khas/menyatukan-perbedaan-indonesia-dengan-makanan|archive-date=28 September 2018}} which turned out to be Laksmi Pamuntjak's 2014 novel The Birdwoman's Palate, leading to Edwin's 2018 feature Aruna & Her Palate.

To raise funds for the film, the film script was submitted to compete in international grant competitions as the production team believed it has an international appeal.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Usaha Memfilkan Novel Eka Kurniawan|url=https://beritagar.id/artikel/seni-hiburan/usaha-memfilmkan-novel-eka-kurniawan|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190622050037/https://beritagar.id/artikel/seni-hiburan/usaha-memfilmkan-novel-eka-kurniawan|archive-date=22 June 2019|access-date=3 February 2021|website=beritagar.id|url-status=dead}} In 2016, the script won a US$15,000 grant for winning the Most Promising Project Award at the Asian Project Market held during the 2016 Busan International Film Festival in South Korea.{{Cite web|last=Efendi|first=Ali Satri|date=20 February 2020|title=Kabar Terbaru Film "Seperti Dendam, Rindu Harus Dibayar Tuntas"|url=https://infoscreening.co/kabar-terbaru-film-seperti-dendam-rindu-harus-dibayar-tuntas/|access-date=3 February 2021|website=Infoscreening|language=en-US|archive-date=17 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210917110103/https://infoscreening.co/kabar-terbaru-film-seperti-dendam-rindu-harus-dibayar-tuntas/|url-status=live}} In 2018, it received a post-production grant from the post-production lab White Light Post at the Hong Kong Asian Film Financing Forum as well as a co-production grant from the Singapore Film Commission.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=White Light Post|url=https://whitelightpost.com/index.php/about/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216201114/http://whitelightpost.com/index.php/about/|archive-date=16 February 2020|access-date=|website=White Light Post|url-status=live}} It also received another production grant from Bangkok-based Purin Pictures.

The film marks the return of Edwin's frequent collaborator Ladya Cheryl to the big screen since her last appearance in a feature film in 2012's Postcards from the Zoo, also directed by Edwin. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Edwin said that Cheryl's portrayal of Iteung is inspired by 80's action star Cynthia Rothrock.{{Cite web|last=Roxborough|first=Scott|date=2021-08-06|title=Indonesian Director Edwin Talks Sex, Violence and Dictatorship in 'Vengeance Is Mine'|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/indonesian-director-edwin-on-sex-violence-and-dictatorship-in-vengeance-is-mine-1234992589/|access-date=2021-08-16|website=The Hollywood Reporter|language=en-US|archive-date=16 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816052523/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/indonesian-director-edwin-on-sex-violence-and-dictatorship-in-vengeance-is-mine-1234992589/|url-status=live}} Singer-songwriter Sal Priadi makes his feature film debut alongside Ratu Felisha and Citra Award winner Reza Rahadian in supporting roles.{{Cite web|title=Palari Films on Twitter|url=https://twitter.com/twitterid/status/1421016075169198080|access-date=2021-07-30|website=Twitter|language=en|archive-date=30 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730144636/https://twitter.com/twitterid/status/1421016075169198080|url-status=live}}

In July 2021, Variety reported that art house agency The Match Factory had acquired the film's distribution rights.{{Cite web|last1=Barraclough|first1=Leo|date=2021-07-01|title=The Match Factory Acquires Locarno Competition Title 'Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash' (EXCLUSIVE)|url=https://variety.com/2021/film/global/the-match-factory-locarno-vengeance-is-mine-all-others-pay-cash-1235009711/|access-date=2021-07-01|website=Variety|language=en-US|archive-date=1 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201055502/https://variety.com/2021/film/global/the-match-factory-locarno-vengeance-is-mine-all-others-pay-cash-1235009711/|url-status=live}} The film had its world premiere at the 74th Locarno Film Festival on 8 August 2021, where it won the Golden Leopard.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/vengeance-is-mine-all-others-pay-cash-from-indonesian-director-edwin-wins-golden-leopard-for-2021-locarno-film-festival-1234997880/|title='Vengeance is Mine, All Others Pay Cash' Wins Locarno Film Festival|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=14 August 2021|accessdate=26 September 2021|first=Scott|last=Roxborough}} The film screened in the Contemporary World Cinema section of the 46th Toronto International Film Festival.{{Cite web|first=Victor|last=Stiff|date=2021-09-17|title=TIFF 2021: Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash Review|url=https://thatshelf.com/?p=118017|access-date=2021-09-18|website=That Shelf|language=en-US}} It was screened at the Filmfest Hamburg and 26th Busan International Film Festival in October 2021.{{Cite web|last=Blaney|first=Martin|date=2021-09-14|title='Great Freedom', 'Paris, 13th District' to bookend 2021 Filmfest Hamburg|url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/great-freedom-paris-13th-district-to-bookend-2021-filmfest-hamburg/5163296.article|access-date=2021-09-18|website=Screen|language=en|archive-date=18 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240118091842/https://www.screendaily.com/news/great-freedom-paris-13th-district-to-bookend-2021-filmfest-hamburg/5163296.article|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ussfeed.com/ini-dia-5-film-indonesia-yang-bakal-tayang-di-busan-international-film-festival/|title=Ini Dia 5 Film Indonesia yang Bakal Tayang di Busan International Film Festival!|work=USS Feed|accessdate=26 September 2021|first=Amira|last=Paramesti|trans-title=Here are the five Indonesian films that will be screened at the Busan International Film Festival|archive-date=26 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926094946/https://www.ussfeed.com/ini-dia-5-film-indonesia-yang-bakal-tayang-di-busan-international-film-festival/|url-status=live}} Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash was also screened at the BFI London Film Festival 2021 during the Dare section.{{cite web|url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/bfi-london-film-festival-2021-full-programme-announced/|title=BFI London Film Festival 2021 Full Programme Revealed, Including Last Night In Soho, The French Dispatch And Spencer|work=Empire Online|date=8 September 2021|accessdate=26 September 2021|first=James|last=White|archive-date=26 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926094946/https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/bfi-london-film-festival-2021-full-programme-announced/|url-status=live}}

The film was released theatrically in Indonesia on 2 December 2021.{{Cite web |last=antaranews.com |date=2021-11-01 |title="Seperti Dendam, Rindu Harus Dibayar Tuntas" tayang 2 Desember 2021 |url=https://www.antaranews.com/berita/2494385/seperti-dendam-rindu-harus-dibayar-tuntas-tayang-2-desember-2021 |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=Antara News |archive-date=1 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201011211/https://www.antaranews.com/berita/2494385/seperti-dendam-rindu-harus-dibayar-tuntas-tayang-2-desember-2021 |url-status=live }}

Vengeance Is Mine, All Other Pay Cash recorded a total of 85,004 admissions throughout its theatrical release in Indonesia, ranking it in the 11th spot among all domestic productions released in 2021.{{Cite web |title=Data penonton tahun 2021 |url=http://filmindonesia.or.id/movie/viewer/2021#.Y6mICOJBw-Q |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=filmindonesia.or.id |archive-date=17 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230317150512/http://filmindonesia.or.id/movie/viewer/2021#.Y6mICOJBw-Q |url-status=dead }}

Writing for Variety, Jay Weissberg wrote that the film "delivers a withering critique of masculinity" while managing to be "enjoyable".{{Cite web|last=Weissberg|first=Jay|date=2021-08-10|title='Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash' Review: Retro '80s Action Homage Uses Sexual impotence as Social Critique|url=https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/vengeance-is-mine-all-others-pay-cash-review-1235038538/|access-date=2021-08-16|website=Variety|language=en-US|archive-date=16 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816052518/https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/vengeance-is-mine-all-others-pay-cash-review-1235038538/|url-status=live}} However, Weissberg was critical of the screenplay, noting that Edwin and co-writer Kurniawan "cram rather too many meandering plot lines". Also for Variety, Diego Cepeda and Calin Boto called the film "a genre-bending portrayal of an angry impotent young man stuck in the middle of the macho Indonesian Eighties", referring to the film's main character Ajo Kawir and heavy influence of 80's pop culture.{{Cite web|last1=Boto|first1=Diego Cepeda,Calin|last2=Cepeda|first2=Diego|last3=Boto|first3=Calin|date=2021-08-11|title=Edwin Calls for a Revival of Sensitivity With Locarno's 'Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash'|url=https://variety.com/2021/film/global/edwin-locarno-vengeance-is-mine-all-others-pay-cash-1235039197/|access-date=2021-08-16|website=Variety|language=en-US|archive-date=16 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816052521/https://variety.com/2021/film/global/edwin-locarno-vengeance-is-mine-all-others-pay-cash-1235039197/|url-status=live}} Marta Bałaga of Cineuropa praised the film's "central romance" between Ajo Kawir and Iteung as "the most fun to watch", singling out Cheryl's portrayal of Iteung as a stand-out.{{Cite web|title=Review: Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash|url=https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/408926/|last=Bałaga|first=Marta|date=2021-08-12|access-date=2024-01-18|website=Cineuropa|archive-date=28 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240528050929/https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/408926/|url-status=live}} Similar to Weissberg, Bałaga also criticized the film's editing, calling it "very uneven, going from funny to dark to just weird, as if the editing couldn’t keep up with the ongoing brainstorming session".

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{{Golden Leopard}}

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Category:2021 action drama films

Category:2021 black comedy films

Category:Films set in the 1980s

Category:Films based on Indonesian novels

Category:Indonesian action drama films

Category:2021 films

Category:Golden Leopard winners

Category:2020s Indonesian-language films