Ratih Kumala

Ratih Kumala is an accomplished Indonesian writer and screenwriter who won the 2003 Jakarta Arts Council Novel Competition for her first novel, Tabula Rasa. Her novel Gadis Kretek has been published in six languages and was adapted into a limited series on Netflix in 2023. In addition to writing novels, Ratih works as a screenwriter for films, television dramas, and various digital media. She received the prestigious Chommanard Women’s Literary Award in Thailand in 2024. Her latest novel, Koloni, was published this year. She was also appointed as one of the curators for the 2025 Festival’s Emerging Writers program.

Ratih Kumala adalah penulis Indonesia terkenal yang menulis buku dan skenario. Ia mulai dikenal ketika memenangkan sayembara penulisan dari Dewan Kesenian Jakarta pada tahun 2003 untuk novel pertamanya, Tabula Rasa. Salah satu novelnya yang paling sukses, Gadis Kretek, menjadi sangat populer hingga diterjemahkan ke dalam enam bahasa berbeda. Netflix bahkan mengadaptasinya menjadi serial TV pada tahun 2023. Selain menulis novel, Ratih juga menulis skenario untuk film, drama televisi, dan berbagai media digital. Pada tahun 2024, ia menerima penghargaan bergengsi di Thailand bernama Chommanard Women's Literary Award. Novel terbarunya, Koloni, terbit tahun ini. Ia juga ditunjuk sebagai salah satu kurator program Emerging Writers di Festival 2025.