# Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash (film)

Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash (Indonesian: Seperti Dendam, Rindu Harus Dibayar Tuntas) is a 2021 Indonesian action black comedy-drama film directed by Edwin who also co-wrote the screenplay with Eka Kurniawan based on Kurniawan's best-selling book of the same name. The film had its world premiere in August 2021 at the 74th Locarno Film Festival, where it won the top prize of Golden Leopard for Best Film.
Edwin won his second Best Director nod at the 42nd Citra Awards, where the film won a total of 5 awards out of 12 nominations.

## Plot

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.

## Cast

These are the cast members of the film as announced by Palari Films in July 2021:
* 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

## Production
### Development

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. 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, 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. 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. 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. It also received another production grant from Bangkok-based Purin Pictures.

### Casting

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. Singer-songwriter Sal Priadi makes his feature film debut alongside Ratu Felisha and Citra Award winner Reza Rahadian in supporting roles.

## Release

In July 2021, Variety reported that art house agency The Match Factory had acquired the film's distribution rights. The film had its world premiere at the 74th Locarno Film Festival on 8 August 2021, where it won the Golden Leopard. The film screened in the Contemporary World Cinema section of the 46th Toronto International Film Festival. It was screened at the Filmfest Hamburg and 26th Busan International Film Festival in October 2021. Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash was also screened at the BFI London Film Festival 2021 during the Dare section.
The film was released theatrically in Indonesia on 2 December 2021.

## Reception
### Box office

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.

### Critical response

Writing for Variety, Jay Weissberg wrote that the film "delivers a withering critique of masculinity" while managing to be "enjoyable". 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. 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. 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".

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result | Notes |
| 2021 | Locarno Film Festival | Golden Leopard for Best Film | Edwin | Won | |
| 2021 | Three Continents Festival | Golden Montgolfiere for Best Film | Edwin | Nominated | |
| 2021 | 25th Online Film Critics Society Awards | Best Non-US Release | Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash | Won | |
| 2021 | Valladolid International Film Festival | Golden Spike | Edwin | Nominated | |
| 2021 | Valladolid International Film Festival | Best Director of Photography | Akiko Ashizawa | Won | |
| 2021 | 14th Asia Pacific Screen Awards | Achievement in Cinematography | Akiko Ashizawa | Nominated | |
| 2021 | 16th Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival | Silver Harnoman | Edwin | Won | |
| 2021 | 5th Tempo Film Festival | Best Film | Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash | Nominated | |
| 2021 | 5th Tempo Film Festival | Best Director | Edwin | Nominated | |
| 2021 | 5th Tempo Film Festival | Best Actor | Marthino Lio | Nominated | |
| 2021 | 5th Tempo Film Festival | Best Actress | Ladya Cheryl | Nominated | |
| 2021 | 5th Tempo Film Festival | Best Supporting Actor | Reza Rahadian | Nominated | |
| 2021 | 5th Tempo Film Festival | Best Supporting Actress | Ratu Felisha | Nominated | |
| 2022 | International Film Festival of Kerala | World Cinema | Edwin | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 10th Maya Awards | Best Feature Film | Meiske Taurisia Muhammad Zaidy | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 10th Maya Awards | Best Director | Edwin | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 10th Maya Awards | Best Actor in a Leading Role | Marthino Lio | Won | |
| 2022 | 10th Maya Awards | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Ladya Cheryl | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 10th Maya Awards | Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Reza Rahadian | Won | |
| 2022 | 10th Maya Awards | Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Ratu Felisha | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 10th Maya Awards | Best New Actor | Sal Priadi | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 10th Maya Awards | Best Adapted Screenplay | Edwin Eka Kurniawan | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 10th Maya Awards | Best Cinematography | Akiko Ashizawa | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 10th Maya Awards | Best Editing | Lee Chatametikool | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 10th Maya Awards | Best Original | Dave Lumenta | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 10th Maya Awards | Best Theme Song | Dave Lumenta Indra Perkasa Bonnie Rubin | Nominated | Bangun Bajingan! ("Get Up, Bitch!", Performed by Ananda Badudu & Rubina) |
| 2022 | 10th Maya Awards | Best Art Direction | Eros Eflin | Won | |
| 2022 | 10th Maya Awards | Best Makeup & Hairstyling | Cherry Wirawan | Won | |
| 2022 | 10th Maya Awards | Best Special Effects | Rivai Chen | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 10th Maya Awards | Best Poster Design | Ferancis | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 10th Maya Awards | Best Costume Design | Gemailla Gea | Won | |
| 2022 | 42nd Citra Awards | Best Picture | Meiske Taurisia Muhammad Zaidy | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 42nd Citra Awards | Best Director | Edwin | Won | |
| 2022 | 42nd Citra Awards | Best Actor | Marthino Lio | Won | |
| 2022 | 42nd Citra Awards | Best Actress | Ladya Cheryl | Won | |
| 2022 | 42nd Citra Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Reza Rahadian | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 42nd Citra Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Ratu Felisha | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 42nd Citra Awards | Best Adapted Screenplay | Edwin Eka Kurniawan | Won | |
| 2022 | 42nd Citra Awards | Best Original Score | Dave Lumenta | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 42nd Citra Awards | Best Original Song | Dave Lumenta | Nominated | Bangun Bajingan! ("Get Up, Bitch!", Performed by Ananda Badudu & Rubina) |
| 2022 | 42nd Citra Awards | Best Costume Design | Gemailla Gea | Won | |
| 2022 | 42nd Citra Awards | Best Art Direction | Eros Eflin | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 42nd Citra Awards | Best Makeup & Hairstyling | Cherry Wirawan | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 35th Bandung Film Festival | Best Film | Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 35th Bandung Film Festival | Best Director | Edwin | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 35th Bandung Film Festival | Best Actor | Marthino Lio | Won | |
| 2022 | 35th Bandung Film Festival | Best Actress | Ladya Cheryl | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 35th Bandung Film Festival | Best Original Score | Dave Lumenta | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 35th Bandung Film Festival | Best Art Direction | Eros Eflin | Won | |
| 2022 | 16th Indonesian Movie Awards | Best Ensemble | Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash | Won | |
| 2022 | 16th Indonesian Movie Awards | Favorite Film | Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 16th Indonesian Movie Awards | Best Actor | Marthino Lio | Won | |
| 2022 | 16th Indonesian Movie Awards | Favorite Actor | Marthino Lio | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 16th Indonesian Movie Awards | Best Actress | Ladya Cheryl | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 16th Indonesian Movie Awards | Favorite Actress | Ladya Cheryl | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 16th Indonesian Movie Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Reza Rahadian | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 16th Indonesian Movie Awards | Favorite Supporting Actor | Reza Rahadian | Won | |
| 2022 | 16th Indonesian Movie Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Ratu Felisha | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 16th Indonesian Movie Awards | Favorite Supporting Actress | Ratu Felisha | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 16th Indonesian Movie Awards | Best Newcomer | Sal Priadi | Won | |
| 2022 | 16th Indonesian Movie Awards | Favorite Newcomer | Sal Priadi | Nominated | |
| 2022 | 16th Indonesian Movie Awards | Best Chemistry | Marthino Lio Ladya Cheryl | Nominated | |