The Seen and Unseen

Indonesian drama, Grand Prix winner at Berlin Film Festival, sees a 10-year-old Balinese girl enter a world of the imagination where she can continue to communicate, and play with, her seriously ill twin brother.

"Childhood grief and mortality are rarely examined on screen. Gifted Indonesian filmmaker Kamila Andini (The Mirror Never Lies) tackles these topics with grace and artistry in her outstanding second feature. In rural Bali 10 year-old Tantri is slowly losing her twin brother Tantra to a brain tumour. At first Tantri is too scared to enter the hospital room, where Tantra’s worsening condition has made it impossible for him to communicate. A mysterious and utterly beguiling change then takes place. From her home in the village, Tantri can once again sing, dance and play with her beloved brother.

"With minimal spoken dialogue and technique recalling experimental cinema from the silent era, the siblings stage shadow puppet plays and sing achingly poignant songs about Balinese goddesses and demons. Featuring amazing performances by Ni Kadek Thaly Titi Kasih as Tantri and Ida Bagus Putu Radithya Mahijasena as Tantra, The Seen and Unseen transports us to a magical realm where physical and spiritual worlds intersect. A hypnotic score by Yasuhiro Morinaga and Anggi Frisca’s gorgeous photography complete the spellbinding picture." (Sydney Film Festival)

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