Yuni (DVD)

Having rejected a marriage proposal and now facing limited options after graduation, Indonesian high-school student Yuni (Arawinda Kirana) finds herself having to define her desires within a society attempting to prescribe her fate. Navigating her burgeoning sexuality and educational prospects while coming to terms with the rigid gender politics with which they collide, Yuni observes her peers and the women around her as they reject or give in to the expectations made of them and the consequences their decisions carry. "A beautiful and sensitive work" (Cineuropa) featuring "a flawless lead performance" (Outtake Magazine) by newcomer Arawinda Kirana, YUNI demonstrates Indonesian director Kamila Andini's rigorous dedication to exploring the perils and joys of female desire which would define her later work BEFORE, NOW AND THEN and CIGARETTE GIRL. With YUNI, Andini "continues her impressive run of social dramas" (Variety) by evoking a coming-of-age tale that is at once as culturally specific as it is universal.