Queer East Festival 2024
17 — 28 April
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Sara (UK Premiere)
Indonesia, 2023

Directed by
Ismail Basbeth
Running time
99 mins
Feature
UK Premiere

Sara, a trans woman in her mid-thirties, is made to return to her village in rural Indonesia to attend her father’s funeral. Arriving back home, she discovers that her mother has been severely traumatized by the bereavement: not only does she fail to accept that her husband has died, she also has no memory of Sara and treats her like a complete stranger. Seeking to help her mother, Sara resolves to play-act as her late father, the person she despises the most and the reason she ran away many years ago. Centred on a stunning performance from trans actress Asha Smara Darra, this quietly affecting family drama is about a woman desperate to break free from the past, who must nonetheless confront its enduring and wounding power. 


Screening Times


Tue 23 April, 6:30 PM
Event Past
ICA 
Sat 4 May, 6:45 PM
Event Past
ICA 
Director Bio



Ismail Basbeth is a filmmaker, artist, writer and singer-songwriter, whose films have screened in festivals internationally. He is a producer and co-founder of Matta Cinema, an alternative production house, and Bosan Berisik Lab, an interdisciplinary creative laboratory. 

Additional info



Followed by recorded Q&A with lead actress Asha Smara Darra hosted by Cici Peng.

Trailer


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