After the Curfew

Shortly after the Dutch recognition of Indonesia's independence in 1949, Bandung imposes a curfew. Iskandar, recently released from the Indonesian Armed Forces, arrives in Bandung and is almost shot. He spends the night at Norma's family home, starting his uneasy homecoming.

The following day Norma's father sets him up with a job at the governor's office, but the position goes poorly and Iskandar is quickly fired. The setback hints at the friction between idealism and the post-independence establishment. Iskandar's identity as a former revolutionary remains unsettled.

Iskandar visits Gafar, who is now a successful building contractor, and laments that no one understands his revolutionary ideals. He still hears the screams of a family he once killed. Gafar cautions him not to pursue Gunawan, but Iskandar is determined to press on.

Gafar explains that Gunawan now dominates business with force and will use any means to stay ahead. He reveals the family Iskandar killed were refugees, and that the stolen jewelry funded Gunawan's rise. Iskandar swears revenge and resolves to confront Gunawan.

Iskandar encounters Puja, a pimp, and Laila, his mistreated prostitute. Puja's gambling and cruelty underscore the corrupt underbelly connected to Gunawan's network. Iskandar's concern for Laila deepens his resolve to take action.

At Norma's home, a welcome-home party unfolds. Iskandar accidentally spills water on a girl's dress and is scolded, fueling his guilt. He slips away, grabbing his revolver to escape his torment and his past.

Iskandar leaves with Puja and goes to Gunawan's house. He confronts Gunawan, accusing him of corruption, and pulls the revolver on him. Gunawan defends his actions as for the good of the country, and is shot.

News of Gunawan's murder spreads, and Norma, worried about Iskandar, goes out to find him. The city reacts to the violence as the investigation begins and the tension rises.

A policeman mentions that a murder has occurred, and Iskandar escapes again as military police begin to close in. He dodges through the city, heightening the sense of danger around him. The pursuit intensifies his sense of doom.

Iskandar flees to Gafar's home for sanctuary, where the businessman urges him to put the past behind. Gafar reveals that Norma had stopped by earlier, deepening Iskandar's fear for her. The two exchange warnings before more danger closes in.

Iskandar races back toward Norma's home, hoping to reach her before the authorities close in. He is spotted by patrols as he nears the doorstep, and the tension peaks among the guests watching the events unfold.

Iskandar is shot and killed on Norma's doorstep as guests watch in stunned silence. The tragedy underscores the brutal costs of vengeance in a fragile post-independence Indonesia. Norma's search for him ends in the same place where their fates collide.