Nusantara: Waveriders of Indonesia — a short film that puts local surfers front and center
Milo Inglis’s short film Nusantara: Waveriders of Indonesia (produced by Drifter Surf) is a compact, cinematic visit to the world’s largest archipelago — not as a postcard for visiting surfers, but as a portrait of the people who live and ride there. The title nods to an old Javanese word meaning “archipelago,” and the film uses that scope to stitch together scenes from Indonesia’s famously perfect reefs and the riders who call them home.
Why this film matters
The movie runs about 27 minutes and features a group of active Indonesian surfers: Arip Mencos, Teddi Kurniadi, Komang Yudha Kopral, Dhea Natasya and Usman Trioko. Rather than centering foreign stars, Nusantara highlights local talent and the coastal communities that shape their surf. For readers who follow the regional surf scene, the film is a focused reminder that the best archive of Indonesian surf stories often lives with local riders and filmmakers.
Watch the full film (official upload):
The cast and the spots
– Usman Trioko: Widely recognized in coverage and interviews as one of Desert Point’s best barrel riders. Often called the “barrel king” of Desert Point and a local who grew up in the region.
– Dhea Natasya: The film’s primary female rider and a visible part of Indonesia’s emerging women’s surf scene.
– Arip Mencos, Komang Yudha Kopral, Teddi Kurniadi: Local riders featured throughout the film, representing surf cultures across Lombok, Bali and nearby islands.
Desert Point (Lombok) appears as one of the film’s visual anchors. The spot is internationally recognized as one of the world’s best left-hand barrels, and footage in the film showcases why that reputation sticks.
Behind the scenes and rider profiles
Drifter Surf’s Instagram contains behind-the-scenes images and short clips from the Nusantara shoot:
If you want closer looks at the riders themselves, these are their official Instagram profiles (visuals and session clips):
