The opening gala night of this celebration of all things Asian takes place on 27th March 2015 and features the European premier of the brilliant In The Absence Of The Sun, plus a drinks and canapé reception.
18.00 – 18.30 Drinks Reception at the Dive Bar at the Ham Yard Hotel, Soho
18.45 – 21.00 Film Screening at The Ham Yard Theatre at the Ham Yard Hotel, Soho
21.00 – 22.00 Post-screening drinks and canapé Reception at the Dive Bar
Tickets are £15 each to include screening, drinks and canapés (see link to buy at bottom of page).
The evening will open with a short film,
Trans-Mongolian: A Long Train Journey (Rubén Sánchez and Cristina Fernandez, Spain, 2013) 4 mins
A 7500km journey from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar then across Siberia to Moscow.
Then will follow the main feature, In The Absence Of The Sun, which is a thoroughly inspiring and fascinating film, exploring the cultural changes taking place in the city of Jakarta (Capital of Indonesia) and the way in which Westernisation is altering the already vibrant city.
It is also a candid look at the role of women in society, which illustrates beautifully that the problems faced by the women of today are not all that different wherever you go in the world.
In the Absence of the Sun / Selamat Pagi, Malam (Lucky Kuswandi, Indonesia, 2014) 94 mins
European Premiere
Director, writer and editor: Lucky Kuswandi
Producers: Sammaria Simanjuntak and Sharon Simanjuntak
Director of Photography: Sony Budi Sasono
Cast: Adinia Wirasti, Ina Panggabean, Dayu Wijanto, Marissa Anita, Dira Sugandi, Trisa Triandesa
The director Lucky Kuswandi will be in conversation with the Festival’s artistic director Jasper Sharp on stage after the screening followed by a Q &A with the audience
The rapidly-developing cityscape of modern-day Jakarta plays a major role in this tender and heartfelt drama directed by Lucky Kuswandi (Madame X), one of Indonesia’s hottest new talents.
The film follows three women over the course of a single night. 32-year-old Gia returns home after a stint studying in New York to find a culture that has changed beyond all recognition and a soulmate who is no longer the person she once was. 24-year-old Indri, a towel girl at a local gym, seeks out her Prince Charming through internet dating, while the recently widowed Mrs Surya heads out on a journey of self-discovery after learning of her deceased husband’s affair.
In the Absence of the Sun is a real gem, a melancholic evocation of the sights, sounds and smells of this modernising metropolis, which is at once vibrant and beguiling with an adventure around every corner, and lonely, alienating and confusing.
To watch the trailer of In the Absence of the Sun click here:
The Ham Yard Theatre is a luxury state-of-the-art cinema located inside Soho’s trendy Ham Yard Hotel, which is located at 1, Ham Yard, W1D 7DT, on the edge of Soho, just behind Piccadilly Circus tube. For details on how to get to the Ham Yard Hotel click here.
Tickets for the Opening Gala Night, which includes a drinks reception and two screenings, can be purchased below. There are no concessions or Friends discounts for the Opening Gala Night.
These films are being screened as part of the Asia House Film Festival 2015. To read about all the films click here.
To find out more about the Asia House Film Festival 2015 click here.
To purchase tickets for the Opening Gala Night click here.
| Director | Lucky Kuswandi |
| Starring | Adinia Wirasti, Ina Panggabean, Dayu Wijanto, Marissa Anita, Dira Sugandi |