Unfolding in the titular four acts, the film transforms Indonesia’s eastern island of Sumba into a stunningly beautiful yet somewhat sinister stage for a tale of rape-revenge, motherhood and quest for justice. Marlina, a young childless widow, is robbed by thugs in her remote modest farmhouse—a place of literal life and death which neatly bookends the film’s narrative. After managing to single-handedly defend herself from the attackers, she hits the road travelling in at least two directions at once: out toward resolution and redemption, and into herself, her grief-stricken past and her relationships with others. Developed from an original treatment by Indonesian master Garin Nugroho, Jakarta-born director Mouly Surya and her collaborators ambitiously bend and blend several genres into this unique female-driven “Southeast Asian Western.” (Davide CAZZARO)