Usmar Ismail (1921-1971), a poet and innovative theater director, helped pioneer a revitalized Indonesian film industry following the War of Independence (1945-49). "The new national spirit was embodied in the work of...Usmar Ismail, whose films not only portrayed on film the Indonesian revolution but were also an important part of the reconstruction of the new nation" (Asia Society). After the Curfew, a classic of Indonesian cinema written by the poet Asrul Sani, is a thriller set in the months just following the Independence. A war veteran, Iskandar (A. N. Alcaff), returns to Bandung anxious to re-enter civilian life. Taken in by friends and wartime comrades, he quickly becomes disillusioned with the new society, which seems to epitomize the betrayal of the revolution, both in the pursuit of black-market consumer comforts and in turning a blind eye to war-related injustices. Iskandar finds himself on the run from the authorities in this city that, after the revolution, is still under curfew.