Summary
Qorin is an Indonesian supernatural horror film released in 2022 that exposes its viewers to an unnerving paced narrative of transcultural beliefs, self-identity, and the concealment of one’s inner evil. The film was directed by Ginanti Rona and produced by IDN Pictures. It is set in a female Islamic boarding school, which operates on principles of facade, order, and submission, highlighting the existence of hidden animosities and repressed turmoil.
The story centers on Zahra, a passionate student played by Zulfa Maharani, who is also a devoted believer. Over the years, she has undergone extensive training to become the perfect student: compliant, hard-working, and docile to those who wield power over her. As a result, she has become the pride of the school, and she enjoys the adoration of her teachers, including Ustad Jaelani and Omar Daniel, a youthful and charming pedagogue who, as is later revealed, has his own sinister side.
Zahra’s wholly constructed universe experiences havoc with the coming of Yolanda, played by Aghniny Haque—an audacious and free-spirited new student with an ominous history. Almost instantly, there is mutual discontent. For Zahra, Yolanda embodies the decline of moral standards in the school, while for Yolanda, Zahra is yet another example of unquestioning compliance. Unfortunately for them, the circumstances bring the two girls together when Zahra is instructed to help Yolanda navigate through school lazily as a mentoree.
Conflict arises in the school when Ustad Jaelani orders Zahra to perform a strange and prohibited spiritual rite which is believed to xo summon the qorin, a mythical Islamic figure dyadic being from folklore. It is believed a qorin, the spirit or shadow self that accompanies each individual from birth, is an essence that personifies one’s darker, more primal instincts.
With the beginining of the ritual, things progressively get worse for the students of the boarding school as they start to experience terrifying phenomena. Doppelgangers abound haunting the students and mimicking their moves until they violently turn against them. As the girls one by one start getting attacked by horrific incidents involving their qorin, the school turns into a psychological, literal horror, and battleground at once. For Zahra and Yolanda, the threat was beyond identity and supernatural; it was facing their past traumas, suppressed identities, and confronting the hypocrisy of people who were meant to serve as spiritual guides.
Zahra deals with the scrutiny of mentors’ she has worshipped as a dogma and decides between blind faith and shifting into a cycle of no control or fear. Ultimately, shifting reality becomes a battle against not only the qorin, but also the system responsible for its existence.
Cast and Crew
Director: Ginanti Rona
Writers: Ginanti Rona and Lele Laila
Producer: Susanti Dewi
Cinematography: Arfian
Editing: Wawan I. Wibowo
Music: Aria Prayogi
Key Cast:
Zulfa Maharani plays Zahra: A commited student whose moral crisis drives the narrative.
Aghniny Haque plays Yolanda: A confident new student who’s overshadowed, but central to the developing horror.
Omar Daniel as Ustad Jaelani: At first a ‘religious’ leader of unparalleled charm, whose ulterior motives grow increasingly wicked as the story unfolds.
Dea Annisa as Umi Hana
Putri Ayudya as Umi Yana
Others include Naimma Aljufri, Cindy Nirmala, and Alyssa Abidin in supporting roles.
Zulfa Maharani and Aghniny Haque also received commendations for their character portrayals, capturing simultaneously the tender and fierce sides of young women ensnared in a ruthlessly obedient system.
Themes and Symbolism
Qorin is more than just a horror story it is an exploration of selfhood entwined with repression and characterized through metaphors. Central to the story is the qorin, a monstrous embodiment of every character’s suppressed emotions, secrets, and traumas. These spiritual doubles are not really evil, they simply act as devastating mirrors reflecting all that has been suppressed, concealed, or dreaded.
The regimented life in a boarding school serves as a miniature example of where the patriarchy is in full control, with the young women being trained as unthinking subservient followers in the name of religious holiness. Zahra’s change from the ideal obedient student to a critical thinker touches on the overarching narrative of awakening and personal emancipation.
The figure of Ustad Jaelani critiques why people blindly follow religion without thinking further. What starts as reverence eventually becomes his spellbinding and exploitative dominion to wield spiritual authority. The school’s administration and students trust him too deeply as he commandeers order into chaos masquerading as divine peace for their utter ignorance.
Qorin covers the themes of mental issues such as trauma and social phobia. Students battling their respective qorin must undergo as well confront a part of them that have long been shackled, which can range from childhood violence, shame, or hidden fantasies.
Reception and Impact
Initially, critics and viewers provided feedback that was rather mixed after the release of Qorin. While some applauded the film’s stylistic use of incestuous religion as horror, stemming from sociological themes grounded in religion, conflict, and the resulting grief. Others focused on the cinematography and acting, all while praising the film’s mood and pacing, saying it strengthened the tension throughout the film. The film did face considerable critique for its pacing and underdeveloped characters; secondary characters in particular were called out often.
As stated before, film critics and experts acknowledged Rona’s more precise takes. Focus was given on building psychological tension with the camera until nearly the last minute, while the grotesque and frenzied finally appear at the film’s conclusion. Instead of jump scares or graphic violence, the film thrives on dread, narrow spaces, and the ubiquitous qorin entities.
Viewer’s with an understanding of Islamic folklore found the spiritua themes fascinating, particularly the notion of a personal shadow self, which is a recurring motif in non-mainstream horror narratives. Nonetheless, spectators who are not well-versed with the Indonesian culture along with the Islamic spiritual traditions are likely to find some themes vague or lacking adequate explanation.
Despite all its complications, the movie remains distinctive in the context of Indonesia’s evolving horror industry with respect to its originality and critique on social issues. It additionally helps in the ongoing shift of the horror genre beyond Western-centric frameworks toward the inclusion of Southeast Asian narratives and beliefs.
Conclusion
Qorin transforms the excrutiatingly persistant misconceptions surrounding the term ‘horror’ into meaningful ideas while challenging the audience politically to differentiate between belief, compliance, and individuality. With its spesific cultural references alongside psychological nuances, Qorin does not only inflict fright but also offers sharp instructions about an individual’s existence under the institutionalized power.
Qorin might not capture the attention of audiences that appreciate mainstream cinematic techniques that utilize conventional horror pacing and conclusive outcomes. Nevertheless, Qorin is distinctemly appreciated as culturally impactful and thematically uncomplicated. For people who are intrigued with the blend of supernatural themes along with social issues, the film becomes captivating especially as it holds viewers’ thoughts long after watching.
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