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Sean Baker and Michelle Yeoh’s iPhone-Shot 'Sandiwara' Sets Berlinale World Premiere Feb. 13

Baker will honor Yeoh at the festival’s opening with the Berlinale’s Honorary Golden Bear.

Overview

  • The special screening is scheduled for Feb. 13 at the Berlin Film Festival and will be followed by a Q&A with Baker and Yeoh.
  • The short was created with fashion house Self-Portrait as the first project from its Residency program launched in 2025.
  • Michelle Yeoh plays five characters in a narrative set in a Malaysian night market, according to the synopsis.
  • The film was shot on an iPhone in Penang, signaling Baker’s return to a pared-down filmmaking approach.
  • Press materials describe the work as an immersive cinematic experience rooted in facets of Malaysian culture, with a title derived from the Malay word for drama.