Ismail Basbeth
99 mins
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.
![Queer East -](https://queereast.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sara-01.jpg)
![Queer East -](https://queereast.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sara-02.jpg)
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.
Followed by recorded Q&A with lead actress Asha Smara Darra hosted by Cici Peng.