Mystics in Bali

A woman’s head detaches and wreaks havoc on a Balinese village, at the behest of a powerful sorceress in this gooey Indonesian exploitation horror. 

In true form to its genre, this Indonesian body horror classic explores folkloric legends of the region, including the Queen of the South Sea and the leak (a kind of sorcerer). Notable for its striking visuals and cultural references to Balinese traditions, the film has gained cult-like status worldwide.

Directed by H. Tjut Djalil, Mystics in Bali follows a young American university student named Cathy, who seeks out the knowledge of a powerful leak (sorceress). Entangled in dark rituals and supernatural events, Cathy falls under the domination of the leak. 

German tourist Ilona Agathe Bastian was travelling in Bali when she was chosen to play the lead role of Cathy. Casting a European woman in the lead role was a conscious decision, as the filmmakers hoped it would ‘legitimise’ the film for both local and international audiences.

Mystics in Bali explores obsession and the allure of forbidden knowledge, with many fans reading this as a cautionary tale for Western scholars and their paternalistic desire to possess cultural knowledge and customs other than their own.