Emak Dari Jambi & Balek Ke Jambi

Emak Dari Jambi (2015)

Emak Dari Jambi

This is a story about a mother’s journey from a small village in Jambi Sumatra to the capital city of Jakarta in Indonesia to meet her first-born son who is now a transgender. The mother struggles with her religious values and worldview which condemns transgenders and wanting to love her son unconditionally. ‘Emak dari Jambi’ (Mother from Jambi) is also filled with funny and poignant moments and it is a heartwarming story about love, truth, and acceptance.

• Film Runtime: 38 minutes
• Country: Indonesia
• Film Language: Indonesian
• Subtitle Language: English

Balek Ke Jambi (2023)

To Face My Father in Jambi

Anggun ran away from home in Jambi Sumatra, Indonesia eight years ago
when she decided to assert herself as a transgender woman. She decides to return home to Jambi to make peace with her father and seek acceptance from him.

• Film Runtime: 24 minutes
• Country: Indonesia
• Film Language: Indonesian
• Subtitle Language: English

Director

Anggun Pradesha

Anggun Pradesha is an artist and activist from Jambi, currently residing in Jakarta. She has been involved with three organizations focused on gender equality issues. She has been actively advocating for human rights, especially for transgender women, since being crowned Runner-Up at Miss Transchool 2011 organized by Sanggar Swara.

Her short films have been widely screened, discussed, and have received various accolades and awards both domestically and internationally. Among her achievements, she won the Best Documentary category at film festivals in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, and Bangkok, Thailand in 2016. She was also nominated at the Yogyakarta Documentary Film Festival in 2015, and made the shortlist at the Indonesian Film Festival in 2021.

Anggun also writes collections of poetry, short stories, and scripts. She often performs her poetry theatrically. Her love for acting has provided her opportunities to appear in several films and series.