Nyai (A Woman from Java)

The year is 1927. Nyai (foreigner’s concubine) is welcoming many visitors to her abode during her aged and sickly Dutch husband’s birthday. Stern and collected, the young Nyai deals with everyone that comes her way - from untrustworthy accountants to political activists, musicians and religious leaders. As the events of the day unfold, Nyai’s own tragic past and story is revealed, and her struggles to reaffirm her own identity is brought to light. Shot in one-take, director Garin Nugroho’s latest blends theatre and dance within the setting of a traditional Indonesian house. Here, Nyai’s life cycle is revealed as she enters and exits through doors, resembling that of the stage.