Under the Tree (2008)

Genres - Drama  |   Run Time - 104 min.  |   Countries - Indonesia  |   MPAA Rating - NR
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Synopsis by Jason Buchanan

Indonesian Opera Jawa director Garin Nugroho takes the helm for this tale of magic realism set on the island of Bali and concerning three women in search of redemption. In Bali, musical chants are commonplace, as are ceremonies in which the masses present offerings to the spirits and deities. In this setting, three "seeds" seek out the answers to the problems that plague their lives. Maharani is a twenty seven year old outsider in search of the truth about her parentage. Advised by a Balinese mystic to study dance under a prominent Ubud performer, Maharani embarks on a journey that will ultimately shake her beliefs in both the law and judiciary system in Bali. Dewi is a forty year old Balinese singer and radio host whose pregnancy has recently grown complicated. When Dewi is forced to choose between an abortion or possible stillbirth, her inner anguish emerges in the form of a haunting improvised chant. Lastly, there's Nian, a teenage girl in search of a paternal role model after her father is imprisoned for corruption. Despite fleeting moments of joy in each tale, the vice, poverty, and desperation that define life in contemporary Indonesia ultimately combine to ensure that each story concludes on a decidedly dark note.