The Seen and Unseen

What happens when someone you love becomes seriously ill, and slowly disappears from life? Do they actually disappear? In The Seen and Unseen we meet a pair of young twins: Tantra has a deadly brain tumour, and Tantri watches her brother growing weaker and weaker. But she also sees more than the adults around her, such as parents and doctors, understand. Perhaps the child’s vivid imagination can be a strength during a traumatic time?

Visually, the film is full of contrasts, shifting from sometimes imminent darkness on one hand, to light and colourful pictures from Indonesia’s beautiful nature on the other. References to nature are in fact a recurring theme throughout the movie, like when Tantra compares himself to a moon that earlier shone bright, but is now fading away. As the film title suggests, the film explores the relationship between what one can see and what one cannot see, such as the supernatural, and the strong bond between twins. With a hypnotising mood, The Seen and Unseen is a beautiful and tender depiction of loss, and how we can preserve those we love within ourselves – unrestricted by time and space.

Vilde Molven

Director

Kamila Andini (b. 1986) is an award-winning Indonesian filmmaker who has quickly established herself as a strong voice in her home country's film industry. At last year's Film from the South festival, all her feature films were shown, including Yuni, which had its world premiere to rave reviews at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2021.

This film is part of