Italian Premiere | Out of Competition
US, 2024, 88’, English, Indonesian
Directed by: David Gregory
Screenplay: David Gregory
Editing: Michael Capone
Music: Mark Raskin
Producer: David Gregory
Co-producer: Ekky Imanjaya
Cast: Joko Anwar, Gope Samtani, Ram Soraya, Kiki Maria, Clift Sangra
Suzzanna: The Queen of Black Magic shines a light on one of the most iconic horror queens of Indonesian cinema. The latest from exploitation cinema historian David Gregory (Enter the Clones of Bruce, FEFF 2024), his film explores the life and legacy of the horror star Suzzanna. Renowned for her chilling performances and deep association with supernatural folklore, Suzzanna became a legend in the Indonesian film industry, embodying the vengeful spirits and mystical women that haunted audiences for decades.
The cinematic legacy of Suzzanna to Indonesia is best encapsulated by celebrated filmmaker Joko Anwar: “She’s immortal. And not only because of her legacy, the movies that she made, but because she represents not only the past but also the future. Hope. The hope that Indonesian films can connect to their audience. She’s not just special, she will always live.”
Through rare archival footage, behind-the-scenes stories, and interviews with filmmakers, co-stars, and fans, the documentary delves into Suzzanna’s rise to stardom, the myths surrounding her personal life, and her enduring influence on horror cinema. Blurring the lines between fact and fiction, Suzzanna: The Queen of Black Magic reveals how one woman became the face of terror in Southeast Asia – and why her legend still endures.
David Gregory
David Gregory made his first feature-length documentary Texas Chain Saw Massacre – The Shocking Truth in 2000 for the distribution company he co-founded, Blue Underground. In 2020 he directed and co-produced Tales of the Uncanny, a documentary on anthology horror featuring Roger Corman, Tom Savini and over 50 more luminaries from the horror genre. Gregory is also co-founder and CEO of Severin Films, the production/distribution label dedicated to the world’s most provocative cinema for physical media, theatrical, streaming etc.
SELECTED FILMOGRAPHY
2008 – Plague Town
2014 – Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley’s Island of Dr. Moreau
2019 – Blood & Flesh: The Reel Life & Ghastly Death of Al Adamson
2019 – Master of Dark Shadows
2020 – Tales of the Uncanny
2023 – Taste the Blood of Martin
2023 – Enter the Clones of Bruce
2024 – Suzzanna: The Queen of Black Magic