Having rejected a marriage proposal and now facing limited options after graduation, Indonesian high school student Yuni (Arawinda Kirana) finds herself having to define her desires within a society attempting to prescribe her fate. Navigating her burgeoning sexuality and educational prospects while coming to terms with the rigid gender politics with which they collide, Yuni observes her peers and the women around her as they reject or give in to the expectations made of them and the consequences their decisions carry.
“A beautiful and sensitive work" (Cineuropa) featuring "a flawless lead performance" (Outtake Magazine) by newcomer Arawinda Kirana, YUNI demonstrates Indonesian director Kamila Andini’s rigorous dedication to exploring the perils and joys of female desire which would define her later work Before, Now and Then and Cigarette Girl. With YUNI, Andini “continues her impressive run of social dramas” (Variety) by evoking a coming-of-age tale that is at once as culturally specific as it is universal.
“Kamila Andini brings a light, lyrical touch to some hefty issues in YUNI. The tale of a teenage girl at the mercy of society’s expectations and deep-rooted superstitions feels both specific and universal in its concerns, and audiences will readily identify with a central character facing age-old dilemmas in a modern context.” –Screen Daily
DIRECTED BY KAMILA ANDINI
INDONESIA, FRANCE, SINGAPORE & AUSTRALIA | 2021 | INDONESIAN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
Up Next in Toronto International Film Festival
-
Body
Janusz (Janusz Gajos) is a crime scene investigator who is not easily fazed and has seen it all. But when dealing with his anorexic daughter, Olga (Justyna Suwala), who is still grieving the loss of her recently deceased mother, he feels helpless. Fearing that she might harm herself, Janusz commi...
-
Still the Water
On the subtropical Japanese island of Amami, sixteen-year-old Kaito (Nijiro Murakami) discovers a young woman’s body floating in the sea. His girlfriend Kyoko (Jun Yoshinaga) attempts to help him make sense of this mystery while also coming to terms with her shaman mother’s terminal illness. Toge...
-
Radiance
Misako (Ayame Misaki) is a passionate writer of film versions for the visually impaired. At a screening, she meets Nakamori (Masatoshi Nagase), an older photographer who is slowly losing his eyesight. Misako soon discovers Nakamori’s photographs, which strangely bring her back to her past. Togeth...
