Movies like this are definitely not for everyone, so maybe do your research first before setting any expectations or watching it just for Putri Marino or Arya Saloka. This film feels SO suffocating, but in a good way. there are so many underlying messages Kamila Andini tries to weave into these 2 hours and 17 minutes, and i genuinely love how she approaches them. it's rare to see an Indonesian film with this kind of mixed aesthetic, and no wonder it was chosen to represent Indonesia at next year's Oscars. the way different cultural elements clash yet somehow blend into one another without overshadowing each other is just beautiful. The result? Bromo looking absolutely breathtaking and somehow bringing a sense of peace, complemented by the daily 'traditional' clothing inspired by the locals, which i personally think looks SO cool. Story-wise, it's definitely not perfect. As i mentioned earlier, Kamila tries to pack A LOT into this film. Still, the messages come through pretty strongly from beginning to end, especially when it comes to women's empowerment. There were several moments that genuinely got to me, seeing how the characters were constantly faced with such limited choices in their lives. The surrealist elements also worked surprisingly well for me. They didn't feel out of place at all and instead added this abstract, almost dreamlike quality that felt deeply rooted in Indonesian traditions and culture. My biggest issue, though, is pretty much what i've been hinting at this whole time: this film is PACKED. From beginning to end, there's just so much going on, and i don't think every single theme needed to be explored here. As a result, even 2+ hours somehow don't feel like enough. I walked out with SO MANY unanswered questions & mysteries, despite the ending being incredibly satisfying. Like, i was satisfied, but also...wait, that's it? i still need to know more😭 Oh, and my cinema actually had Kamila Andini herself, one of the fresh faces from the cast, and the film's composer come over for a little session after the screening! Kamila shared a bit about the inspiration behind the film, which was really nice. The score, btw, kinda gave me Trent Reznor vibes? honestly, the music was already SO GOOD from the beginning. It faded into the background a little in the middle, but absolutely went off again towards the end. Unfortunately, i couldn't stay for the whole session because i needed to use the bathroom and had to rush home LMAO. Priorities, i guess🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻