There are so many strange stories and supernatural beliefs in Asian Horror Movies, and The Bell: Panggilan Untuk Mati is another one – this is a supernatural horror-thriller based around the Panebok, a terrifying headless spirit from Belitung folklore, so it seems quite interesting to me.
A Bell That Should Have Stayed Buried
Danto, played by Bhisma Mulia, returns to his hometown on the island of Belitung after an ancient supernatural force is accidentally released, and the source of the problem is a sacred bell that has been protected by shamans for generations, supposedly keeping the spirit of Panebok trapped inside it – according to the story behind the film, Panebok was once a Dutch woman who died in tragic circumstances, with her spirit eventually becoming the vengeful headless entity feared by the local community.
The problem begins when the bell is stolen and then rung by someone who has no idea what it actually contains, so once Panebok is released, a series of brutal killings begins, with the victims being found decapitated and the old legend suddenly becoming something that people have to deal with in the present.
Trailer
Meet Panebok
The Panebok legend is the main reason I wanted to cover this film, because it’s another example of Indonesian horror taking a regional supernatural story and turning it into something that can reach a much wider audience – the character is presented as a headless female spirit connected to the tragic death of a Dutch woman, with her spirit eventually being sealed inside the sacred bell.
There are obvious similarities to other headless ghost stories from around the world, but that’s not really the point for me, as what matters is that the film is using a specific piece of Belitung folklore rather than simply inventing another interchangeable ghost, so the history of the character, the bell and the rituals used to contain her all give the supernatural side of the story something to build on.
I also like the idea that the characters have inherited a problem that previous generations thought they had dealt with, which is a much better starting point than having somebody randomly discover a haunted object with absolutely no connection to the people involved.
Bringing Belitung Folklore to the Screen
The film’s connection to Belitung is important here, because the location and folklore are tied directly into the story rather than simply being scenery, as the supernatural threat comes from a local legend, while shamans, rituals and traditional beliefs become part of the characters’ attempts to understand what has been released.
Indonesian horror has been doing a lot more with regional folklore in recent years, and I think that’s one of the best things happening in the country’s genre cinema, because Indonesia isn’t one single cultural landscape, and there are countless local legends that can provide filmmakers with completely different supernatural ideas.
The Bell: Panggilan Untuk Mati takes that approach with Panebok, giving the film a supernatural mythology that belongs specifically to Belitung.
There is also something I like about the basic idea here because it doesn’t need a complicated explanation to work, and the interesting part becomes about what happens afterwards, particularly the fact that the characters have to rely on old knowledge and spiritual practices to work out how to contain Panebok again.
That also gives the film a nice connection between the past and present. Something that happened generations ago is suddenly affecting people who probably never expected to have anything to do with the old legend.
Cast and Production
The Bell: Panggilan Untuk Mati stars Bhisma Mulia as Danto, Safira Ratu Sofya as Airin, Givina Lukita as Saidah, Shalom Razade as Isabela / Panebok, Mathias Muchus as Datuk Baharun and Maulidan Zuhri as Hanafi.
The film is directed by Jay Sukmo and written by Priesnanda Dwisatria, with Aris Muda and Rendy Gunawan producing. Multi Buana Kreasindo and Sinemata are the production companies behind the film, and was released in Indonesia on May 7, 2026, and has a runtime of approximately 91 minutes.
Actual Folklore as the Centrepiece
The Bell: Panggilan Untuk Mati has an actual piece of folklore at the centre of everything here, so the sacred bell isn’t just there because the filmmakers needed a cursed object, and Panebok isn’t simply another ghost with a tragic backstory added afterwards.
I’m also glad the film is only around 91 minutes because this feels like the sort of story that works best when it gets on with things – establish the legend, introduce Danto, let the bell get disturbed and then start making everybody’s life considerably worse.
I’ve watched plenty of Indonesian supernatural horror, but one of the things that keeps me coming back is discovering stories and folklore that are completely new to me, and Panebok is a great example of that, and the basic idea is definitely enough to get me watching.
Check out some more Indonesian horror movies.
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