When Oscar-winning filmmaker Sean Baker teams up with global icon Michelle Yeoh, expectations naturally rise. Their latest collaboration, titled Sandiwara, is not a conventional short film, fashion project, or cultural vignette—it’s an ambitious blend of all three. Announced in December 2025, Sandiwara marks Baker’s artistic return to his indie roots while celebrating Malaysian womanhood, cultural identity, and culinary heritage through a visually immersive lens.
The title “Sandiwara” comes from the Malay language, meaning “drama,” “theatrical performance,” or “play.” True to its meaning, the film unfolds like a living stage set in the bustling night markets of Penang, Malaysia, transforming everyday life into cinematic storytelling.
More than a fashion film, Sandiwara serves as the first film project from Self-Portrait’s Residency program, launched in 2025, positioning the London-based fashion house as a serious cross-disciplinary creative platform.
What Is Sandiwara? Sean Baker’s iPhone-Shot Return to Independent Cinema
Sandiwara is directed, written, edited, and shot by Sean Baker, best known for the Oscar-winning film Anora, which took Best Picture in 2024. This short film becomes a milestone for the director in several ways:
- It is his first directorial release since Anora.
- It is his first production filmed outside the United States.
- It is his first collaboration with a creative discipline outside cinema—fashion.
- It is shot entirely on an iPhone, echoing Baker’s early, raw, independent filmmaking style.
Described as an “immersive cinematic experience,” Sandiwara celebrates womanhood, cultural identity, food culture, and the spirit of independent cinema rather than serving as a traditional branded project.
Michelle Yeoh in Sandiwara: Five Roles, One Cultural Celebration
At the heart of Sandiwara is Michelle Yeoh, the Malaysian-born superstar and Academy Award winner for Best Actress for Everything Everywhere All at Once (2023).
Yeoh stars in the film portraying five distinct characters, each representing a different facet of Malaysian culture and womanhood—stories that are often underexplored in global media. Her performance connects deeply with the setting: Yeoh was born in Ipoh, just a two-hour drive from Penang, giving her personal cultural roots in the region being portrayed.
Each role moves through Penang’s vibrant night market spaces, blending food, music, textures, and personal identity into a narrative that feels lived-in rather than staged. Filming culminates in a Penang Hawker Center, grounding the project in authentic, real-world environments rather than constructed sets.
Yeoh’s recent public presence also aligns with the collaboration. She wore a custom Self-Portrait black velvet gown with sculptured French lace to the London premiere of Wicked: For Good, reinforcing the organic relationship between actress, brand, and project.
As of now, no additional cast members have been publicly announced.
Self-Portrait Residency Program: Fashion Meets Storytelling
Sandiwara is the first film (and second overall project) to emerge from Self-Portrait’s Residency program, launched in 2025. The program gives creatives access to the brand’s infrastructure, platforms, teams, and distribution networks to support experimentation and community-driven storytelling.
The fashion house Self-Portrait, founded in 2013 by Malaysian-born designer Han Chong, began as a viral bridesmaid dress label before expanding into ready-to-wear, accessories, and leather goods. The brand has been worn by global figures including:
- Kate Moss
- Naomi Campbell
- Gigi Hadid
- Irina Shayk
- Emily Ratajkowski
- Jisoo (Blackpink)
- Zhao Liying
- Apple Martin
Even Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, has appeared in Self-Portrait pieces on multiple occasions.
Before Sandiwara, the Residency featured Christopher Kane revisiting his Central Saint Martins graduate collection. Baker’s collaboration pushes the program further by blending cinema, culture, and fashion without traditional commercial constraints.
Plot and Themes of Sandiwara: Malaysian Culture Through Food and Identity
Set inside a vibrant Malaysian night market in Penang, the story moves beyond runway aesthetics. Penang’s history of Chinese immigration patterns has shaped its culinary and cultural identity, and Baker’s team immersed themselves in the location’s textures, rituals, and everyday moments.
Through Yeoh’s five characters, the film explores:
- Malaysian womanhood
- Cultural identity
- Food and culinary heritage
- Music and local rhythm
- Personal stories unfolding inside public spaces
Rather than feeling like a fashion showcase, the narrative unfolds like lived experience, placing viewers inside the movement, sound, and emotional energy of Penang’s night life.
Berlin Film Festival Premiere and Official Schedule
Sandiwara is heading to one of the world’s biggest cinema stages. The film will premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) 2026.
Official Sandiwara Festival Details
| Date | Event | Name | Details |
| Feb 12, 2026 | Berlinale Opening Ceremony | Honorary Golden Bear | Sean Baker presents Michelle Yeoh with Lifetime Achievement Award |
| Feb 13, 2026 | World Premiere | Sandiwara Screening | Special screening followed by Q&A with Sean Baker and Michelle Yeoh |
| Feb 12–22, 2026 | Festival Dates | Berlinale 2026 | International Film Festival in Berlin |
The premiere is paired with a conversation and Q&A session between Baker and Yeoh. While fans might expect Baker’s next feature, this short does not replace his upcoming film plans. He has teased a separate project with themes similar to Anora, potentially shooting in 2026.
Quotes From the Creators Behind Sandiwara
Han Chong shared his vision:
“It’s a challenge to the traditional ways film and fashion have learned to work together. Seeing Baker and his team immerse themselves in the heart of my hometown of Penang, absorbing the textures, rituals, and everyday moments of Malay culture, reminded me why we started Residency in the first place. It’s a temporary platform that invites artists to experiment, to take risks, and to bring their authentic selves into dialogue with our community.”
Sean Baker added:
“With the support of Chong, Yeoh, and the many other individuals who helped bring this vision to life, we were able to celebrate Malaysian culture in a big way. It was incredible to get to experience Penang and to have been given the freedom to create a film that spans beyond traditional fashion and cinema integration.”
What’s Next for Sandiwara After Berlinale?
First-look images already reveal Yeoh in richly textured market settings, highlighting the film’s vibrant atmosphere. However, as of February 6, 2026, no runtime, streaming release, or theatrical distribution plans have been announced.
What Sandiwara already achieves is clear: it positions Self-Portrait as a storytelling platform, showcases Sean Baker’s return to mobile, independent filmmaking, and allows Michelle Yeoh to embody Malaysian culture through multiple lived perspectives.
In a landscape where fashion films often feel promotional, Sandiwara instead becomes cultural cinema—an intimate play staged in the real streets, sounds, and flavors of Penang, inviting audiences to stay not just for the style, but for the story itself.
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