GEORGE TOWN, Feb 25 — By now, you would have read about (if not already watched) the much-hyped short Sandiwara directed by director Sean Baker of Anora fame and starring Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh.
Commissioned by Malaysian-born designer and founder of Self-Portrait contemporary fashion label Han Chong (George Town happens to be his hometown), Sandiwara is about five characters — all played by Michelle Yeoh — and the action takes place over one day.
Here is a guide to where in George Town each of these characters went and where they converged:
First up is Yeoh in a white top with red stripes and bell-bottom jeans cycling down Stewart Lane from the Goddess of Mercy Temple junction.
You will see some of Penang’s pre-war shophouses lining that narrow street.
Next, the action cuts to a second character — a woman in a baby blue dress and matching headscarf walking out of a mamak sundry shop along Love Lane.
These sundry shops, often housed within small huts made from zinc sheets and tucked into corners of buildings, are a common sight all around George Town.
The third character is a pink-haired vlogger in a pink blouse and short blue skirt; she is seen talking about Nyonya food like lor bak, petai, “killer” sambal and acar.
This is set within Moh Teng Pheow Nyonya Koay, an eatery with a Michelin Bib Gourmand, located at the end of Jalan Masjid off Chulia Street.
Meanwhile, the woman with the two bags of groceries continues walking down Love Lane while the cyclist wheels down Lebuh Klang, a narrow lane off Stewart Lane.
She then cycles down Muntri Street, passing by the fourth character, a stylish woman sporting cat-eye glasses, an immaculate hairdo and a shimmery gold dress with a jacket over her shoulders.
At one point, the stylish woman is seen standing in front of Hainan Thean Hou Temple along Muntri Street, staring at her phone, obviously trying to find a location using an online map.
The vlogger leaves the eatery, reminding the eatery workers to watch her on “Shishi Eats” and the scene switches back to the cyclist who is now on Chulia Street.
The vlogger walks along the five-foot way of Chulia Street, passing by Tai Sin Pawnshop, stopping for a selfie against a peeling green wall, before entering Goh Thew Chek Chicken Rice shop.
The woman with the groceries is now walking along the five-foot way of vacant pre-war houses with unique features and passes by an old motel, Wan Hai Hotel.
The cyclist whizzes by the Goddess of Mercy Temple while the stylish woman is seen asking for directions.
The vlogger has now moved on to Penang’s famous Line Clear Nasi Kandar along Penang Road.
We see the woman with the groceries arriving at Red Garden Food Paradise, which straddles Penang Road and Leith Street, and starts work at her char kway teow stall.
The cyclist too has reached Red Garden and the stylish woman too has finally found the food court and is walking in to observe the many hawker stalls inside.
The char kway teow stall owner starts frying up plates of char koay teow while the cyclist — who turns out to be a waitress — is serving food to customers.
The vlogger has also made her way to Red Garden and starts introducing the hawker stalls there.
Meanwhile, the hawker centre’s main “live” entertainment, known in Penang Hokkien as kor tai, starts up with a singing performance.
The fifth character, the singer or Lady Orchid, finally makes an appearance, dressed in a sparkly white dress and with large white orchids in her hair.
Lady Orchid walks by Hang Chow Hotel along Chulia Street, down the five-foot way of the Southern Boutique Hotel along Muntri Street and finally enters Red Garden.
Now, all five characters are inside Red Garden where everything happens almost simultaneously.
Lady Orchid performs on stage, the waitress happily announces to the char kway teow hawker that a food critic had ordered her char koay teow and she peers anxiously into the crowd before frying up the order.
The vlogger walks around introducing the stalls, everyone in the food court dances along to Lady Orchid’s singing, the food critic gives the hawker a clap of approval, the hawker cries tears of joy and Lady Orchid ends with, “Thank you, Penang.”
While the short film was created as part of the Self-Portrait Residency programme, it also featured a different perspective of George Town and its food, essentially making Penang the sixth character in the film, as Chong reportedly said.
Sandiwara was shot entirely on an iPhone over two days.
The short film made its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival and its US premiere on February 19 at a private LA venue with Yeoh, Chong, Baker and other celebrities and guests present.
Watch Sandiwara here.
Malay Mail – Malaysia
