OSCAR winner Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh’s 10-minute film could not have come at a better time. It’s Chinese New Year and the country has just launched Visit Malaysia 2026.
Yeoh’s short film, Sandiwara, does just that. She has continuously put Malaysia on the world map and made us proud.
Yeoh’s latest effort is unusual. Short as it may be, its ripple effects could well extend into Malaysia’s tourism narrative, particularly for Penang.
The days of conventional tourism campaigns seem to be over as this brief understated cinematic piece has shown. It is certainly made for social media.
Instead of pan-Asian models – often the preferred choice of advertising agencies as they are regarded as neutral – at sandy beaches, glitzy malls and pristine forests, this one focuses on the real Penang. There are no postcard perfect scenes. Instead, Sandiwara opted for back lanes, hawker stalls, pre-war houses and the lived-in textures of George Town.
They are unfiltered and authentic characters that we see in Penang or any Malaysian town. More importantly, it doesn’t feel like another advertisement but a story instead.
In the age of Tik Tok and Instagram, which shape perception of culture using social media as a tool, Sandiwara has achieved what formal campaigns cannot.
In 10 minutes, Sandiwara captures what glossy brochures often fail to convey – the rhythm of a place, with the chatter of Penangites in coffee shops.
As a Penangite, I walked past these lanes and streets on the way to St Xavier’s Institution, my alma mater. My father also ran a hardware stall at Chulia Street and my maternal family home are also from there.
For my book, Penang’s History, My Story I chose Love Lane as my book cover. I don’t think there is any other road with that name in Malaysia. So, it was a delight to see Yeoh, carrying two bags of groceries, walking down Love Lane while another character wheels down Lebuh Klang, a narrow lane off Stewart Lane.
The much-hyped short Sandiwara is directed by Oscar award-winning director Sean Baker.
Many have asked why Penang was chosen since Yeoh is Ipoh-born. The answer is simple - the film was commissioned by Penang-born designer and founder of London-based contemporary fashion label Self-Portrait, Han Chong.
Sandiwara tells of five characters, all played by Yeoh, with a 24-hour narrative in the life of these five persons.
She plays a carefree waitress, who whizzes through the alleys with pre-war houses on her bicycle, a diva food vlogger, a char koay teow stall owner, a stylish elegant lady with an immaculate hairdo and an aging singer seeking the spotlight.
George Town in Penang is already well-known as Malaysia’s food capital and a Unesco-listed heritage site.
The film maker has rightly chosen Moh Teng Pheow Nyonya Koay, an eatery with a Michelin Bib Gourmand, located off Chulia Street. Then, just a few steps away, the vlogger enters Goh Thew Chek Chicken Rice shop, which is often packed during lunch time.
She then moves on to Penang’s famous Line Clear Nasi Kandar along Penang Road. It’s a touristic joint and I wish she could have settled for a better choice like nearby Hameediyah on Campbell Street. But I am glad that Red Garden Food Paradise, which straddles Penang Road and Leith Street, was selected. Locals won’t recommend this food court for local hawker fare as they are not top-notch but its “live” entertainment is recommended.
The singers there sportingly take requests for Malay, English and Chinese songs, and occasionally lady boy groups, presumably from Thailand, also appear on stage.
I have stayed at the Edison Hotel, a restored 1906 colonial mansion, with its Anglo-Chinese architecture, which faces the Red Garden and famous Blue Mansion. You can hear the blare from the singing in the evenings, so one can’t help but cross the road and enjoy the clean and cheap entertainment over a cup of coffee or cold beer.
As the short film sets to conclude, all five characters are inside Red Garden with Lady Orchid performing on stage, the waitress alerting the hawker that the food critic had ordered her char koay teow.
It’s a happy ending. The stoic and stiff elegant lady finally puts on a smile and claps to the singer, Lady Orchid is recognised finally, the vlogger who gave her cameraman a tough time cajoled him to dance along, the food critic gives the hawker a thumbs up, the hawker cries tears of joy and Lady Orchid ends with, “Thank you, Penang.”
What does the real-life char koay teow seller like? She is actually a pretty young lady who expertly whips up Penang’s most famous dish swiftly.
The Edison Hotel was used by Yeoh and the crew as a base to change costume, make-up and for a quick break. The entire film was shot on a mobile iPhone and completed in over 48 hours.
The short film made its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival and its US premiere on Feb 19 at a private Los Angeles venue with Yeoh, Chong, Baker and other celebrities and guests present, according to a news report.
One report aptly states: “Tourism in 2026 is not about grand spectacle. It is about emotional connection. And sometimes, it takes only two minutes to remind the world that Penang’s true appeal lies not in staged perfection, but in its authenticity.
“If handled wisely, Sandiwara may prove that Malaysia’s strongest tourism ambassador is not a slogan – but a story.”
I am glad that a Penangite paid for this unprecedented film. If it was a government-paid project, the usual safe and tested script would probably be used and a boring drama would have been the end product.
I am unsure if the title can resonate with foreigners but Malaysians trying to ditch the “politik sandiwara” during this festive CNY and holy month of Ramadan, want to see, watch and read more happy news – like this short movie.
Watch Sandiwara here.
National Journalism Laureate Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai is the chairman of Bernama. The views expressed here are solely his own.
Experience a real drama
In 10 minutes, 'Sandiwara' captures what glossy brochures often fail to convey about George Town – the rhythm of a place, with the chatter of Penangites in coffee shops. — IMDB
Director Sean Baker (left) with Yeoh, Samantha Quan and Han Chong at the Los Angeles premiere of 'Sandiwara' on Feb 19. — AFP/Getty Images
George Town is already well-known as a Unesco-listed heritage site and Malaysia’s food capital with a range of hawkers’ delight such as those sold at the Red Garden Food Paradise. — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star
The Red Garden Food Paradise also offers live music and dance performances almost every night. — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star
You can hear the blare of music of the Red Garden Food Paradise shows every night from the restored 1906 colonial mansion The Edison Hotel, which was used by Yeoh and the crew as a base to change costume, make-up and for a quick break. — Others
Wong Chun Wai
Wong Chun Wai began his career as a journalist in Penang, and has served The Star for over 35 years in various capacities and roles. He is now group editorial and corporate affairs adviser to the group, after having served as group managing director/chief executive officer. On The Beat made its debut on Feb 23 1997 and Chun Wai has penned the column weekly without a break, except for the occasional press holiday when the paper was not published. In May 2011, a compilation of selected articles of On The Beat was published as a book and launched in conjunction with his 50th birthday. Chun Wai also comments on current issues in The Star.
