Orpa’s husband just passed away and left her with three daughters. Orpa has to face the constant discrimination and centuries-old tradition that always left the women as a second-class gender in the society and the victim of violence. Set in the most southern island of Indonesia, Rote Island is depicted as a harsh living condition for its inhabitants but contrasting with the beautiful scenery and an abundance of natural resources. Jeremias Nyangoen’s debut feature is a delicate but solid drama that features a mostly non-professional cast giving their best. Nyangoen manages to craft an engaging yet tragic story about women’s issues, giving voices to under-represented women living in remote places. (John BADALU)