Te[rekam] (2010): A Forgotten Indonesian Found Footage Horror You Need to See

If you're a fan of found footage horror films like The Blair Witch Project or Paranormal Activity, it's time to turn your eyes to Southeast Asia — more specifically, Indonesia. Te[rekam] (2010) is one of the earliest Indonesian entries into the found footage genre, and while it never made international headlines, it’s a fascinating watch for horror enthusiasts and lovers of indie cinema.

📖 Quick Synopsis

The story revolves around a group of friends — Dimas, Nina, and Alex — who decide to investigate an old, abandoned house believed to be haunted. They bring along a video camera to document their exploration. What starts as a lighthearted urban exploration quickly spirals into a terrifying experience as strange occurrences escalate, and one by one, the group starts disappearing. The entire film is presented through the lens of their handheld camera, creating an intimate, immersive, and claustrophobic experience.

🎥 What Makes Te[rekam] Stand Out?

🗺️ Location

The movie was shot in an actual derelict building on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia. The location itself becomes a character in the film — dark, decaying, and filled with eerie, unsettling silence. The choice of setting plays a significant role in building tension, as every corner and shadow feels like a potential threat.

📹 Camera Work

As expected from a found footage film, Te[rekam] uses shaky, handheld camera techniques. But instead of feeling chaotic, it adds to the realism. The film cleverly uses the camera’s night vision mode during key sequences, bathing the screen in that classic eerie green glow we’ve come to associate with horror documentaries.

🌫️ Atmosphere

The sense of dread in Te[rekam] is built slowly but surely. The film thrives on eerie silences, sudden knocks, distorted sounds, and the overwhelming darkness of the abandoned building. There's minimal background score, which makes every tiny noise — a whisper, a footstep, a door creak — terrifyingly loud.

🔍 Fun Facts

• The entire film was shot in less than two weeks with a modest budget.
• Several of the supernatural events captured on camera were reportedly improvised, including a chilling scene where a figure appears briefly behind one of the characters without them noticing.
• This film was one of Indonesia’s first attempts at the found footage horror format, long before movies like KKN di Desa Penari popularized local horror narratives.

🎞️ Watch the Official Poster

Source: filmindonesia.or.id

▶️ Watch the Trailer

📺 Where to Watch Te[rekam]

Currently, the film is a bit of a hidden gem and isn’t available on major international streaming services. However, you can catch unofficial uploads or local VCD/DVD copies floating around Indonesian online marketplaces like:

• Tokopedia
• Bukalapak

Alternatively, keep an eye on local horror film festivals or indie streaming platforms for occasional screenings.

✍️ My Thoughts

As someone who’s a sucker for found footage horror, Te[rekam] gave me exactly what I hoped for — a raw, unpolished, and unnerving ride. Sure, it lacks the high production polish of Western counterparts, but that's precisely its charm. The eerie location, authentic performances, and minimalist effects work together to deliver an atmosphere of creeping dread.

The film’s biggest strength lies in its simplicity. No over-the-top CGI ghosts or loud orchestral stabs. It’s just a group of curious friends, a video camera, and an old building filled with secrets. This is the kind of horror that preys on your imagination, and sometimes, that’s the scariest kind.

If you're into obscure horror gems or just want to experience a unique slice of Indonesian indie filmmaking, Te[rekam] is absolutely worth hunting down.