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Indonesian martial arts icon Iko Uwais is entering a new phase of his career as he puts the final touches on Timur, his feature directorial debut.
The action film also marks the first full production from Uwais Pictures, signaling a major creative step for the star long associated with modern martial arts cinema.
Timur follows a soldier tasked with leading a rescue team into hostile jungle territory after a group of researchers is kidnapped. Cut off from support and racing against time, the team must survive extreme terrain, internal pressure, and threats that escalate with every step deeper into the wilderness. The film is inspired by the real-life Mapenduma hostage crisis of 1996, when 11 scientific researchers, including several foreign nationals, were abducted by the Free Papua Movement in eastern Indonesia, turning a remote mountain region into a high-risk military operation.
Uwais directs and stars, grounding the film in realism while drawing from his background in physically demanding, close-quarters action. The cast includes Jimmy Kobogau, Aufa Assagaf, Yasamin Jasem, Fanny Ghassani, Kiki Narendra, and Andri Mashadi, adding regional authenticity to the story.
Timur opens in Singapore cinemas on January 15, positioning Uwais not just as an action performer, but as a filmmaker committed to telling Indonesian stories on an international stage.
