Sean Baker is following up the armful of Oscars he received for Anora by teaming up with another Academy Award recipient in Michelle Yeoh for short film Sandiwara, which stars the Everything Everywhere All at Once actor in multiple roles.
Written and directed on iPhone by Baker, Sandiwara is set within a bustling Malaysian night market in Penang, with Yeoh inhabiting five distinctive characters in a film that described as a bold, immersive celebration of womanhood, cultural identity, culinary heritage and the spirit of independent cinema.
The title refences the Malay word ‘Sandiwara’, which means ‘drama’, a ‘theatrical performance’, or ‘play’, which is reflected in the films construction and themes. Check out the artwork and teaser trailer below…
Set in a Malaysian night market, Sandiwara follows five characters who each tell their own unique story and represent a facet of Malaysian culture rarely explored.
Sandiwara debuts at the Berlin Film Festival 2026 on February 13th, ahead of its release on February 20th.
