Sean Baker and Michelle Yeoh Unite on Sandiwara Short

Sean Baker and Michelle Yeoh have teamed up on a new short film titled Sandiwara, which will make its world premiere at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival in February 2026.

The project, which had been kept largely under wraps, marks the first collaboration between Baker, one of contemporary American cinema’s most distinctive independent filmmakers, and Yeoh, the Academy Award–winning actor whose career spans decades and continents. Sandiwara will screen during the early days of the Berlinale, positioning it among the festival’s high-profile premieres.

The film is an intimate, experimental work that reflects Baker’s ongoing interest in naturalistic storytelling and everyday lives. Best known for films such as Tangerine, The Florida Project, Red Rocket, and Anora, Baker has built a reputation for character-driven stories that foreground communities and perspectives often overlooked in mainstream cinema. Sandiwara continues that trajectory on a smaller scale, functioning as a standalone creative statement rather than a traditional feature.

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Yeoh stars in the film in five different roles, each representing a distinct character encountered within a Malaysian night market in Penang. The structure allows the actor to explore multiple identities within a single setting, while highlighting aspects of Malaysian culture rarely depicted on the international festival circuit. The title Sandiwara is derived from the Malay word for “drama” or “theatrical performance,” reflecting the film’s emphasis on storytelling and transformation.

Sandiwara was produced in collaboration with the fashion house Self-Portrait as part of its Residency initiative, which brings together artists from different disciplines to create original works. The film is the first cinematic project to emerge from the program, blending fashion, film, and performance into a unified artistic effort.

While Baker has indicated that future feature projects are in development, Sandiwara stands apart as a compact, self-contained work. With its world premiere at one of the world’s major film festivals and the involvement of two prominent figures in contemporary cinema, the short film is expected to draw considerable attention during Berlinale 2026.

About the Author

Megan Hilborne

Author

Megan is a freelance writer and film critic based in Portsmouth. She graduated with a degree in Film in 2020 and has continued her study of the medium in her day-to-day life. She takes particular interest in indie, horror, feminist and queer cinema. Some of her writing credits include an interview with Academy Award winner Sean Baker and Time’s 2025 Most Influential People inductee Mo Abudu.

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