Sandiwara, the new short film directed by Sean Baker and starring Michelle Yeoh, premiered in a special screening at Berlinale International Film Festival.

Written and directed by Sean Baker, the film was captured on an iPhone and set in the Malaysian city of Penang. Michelle Yeoh appears as five separate characters, each navigating the rhythms of a night market and revealing different facets of Malaysian culture through food, music and daily life.

Named after the Malay word for “drama” or “theatrical performance,” Sandiwara unfolds as a constellation of stories that gradually intersect. Baker envisioned Yeoh inhabiting multiple paths through the city streets, with each character ultimately finding her way toward the others.

The film was produced by Superprime Films, Holy Momma, and London fashion house Self-Portrait as part of its Residency programme, an initiative launched in 2024 inviting creatives across disciplines to develop original work using the brand’s platform and resources. Founded in 2013 by Han Chong, Self-Portrait is known for its contemporary occasion wear and London-based studio.

Following its Berlinale premiere, Sandiwara will be released globally on 20 February 2026.

Watch the trailer below.