SAMSARA

Bali, circa 1932. Samsara follows the story of a man from an impoverished family, Darta (Ario Bayu), who is rejected by the wealthy parents of the woman he loves, Sinta (Juliet Widyasari Burnett). He bargains with the Monkey King (Gus Bang Sada), performing a dark ritual to gain wealth and marry the love of his life, whose parents rejected his proposal because of his poverty and low social class status. After he gains wealth and eventually marries her, the deal turns out to be a curse for her and their son, where the son must be given to the Monkey King, and his mother has to breastfeed him and the other monkey infants periodically. Tragedy becomes a reality when the son reaches a young age and wants to return to the house to be with his mother, violating the boundaries between humans and animals. This is a universal narrative rooted in Indonesian mysticism about the insatiable hunger to be what one is not, and the boundaries one is prepared to breach to realize this.

The production marries an electronic soundscape with traditional Balinese performance elements, such as the gamelan orchestra, traditional dance, masks, and wayang.

Under the bold visionary eye of Garin Nugroho and the exceptional work of a powerhouse creative team, Samsara promises to be a bold and memorable cinematic experience, seamlessly bringing together the art forms, nuances, and traditions of Indonesia’s past and present.