Michelle Yeoh Plays Five Roles In Short Celebrating Penang Culture

By Lara Kramer • 25 Feb 2026 in Features

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Michelle Yeoh returns to her Malaysian roots in Sandiwara, a 10-minute short directed by Oscar-winner Sean Baker, set against the lively backdrop of George Town’s Red Garden Food Paradise.

Shot entirely on an iPhone, the film highlights Penang’s vibrant food culture and bustling streets.

Produced by Baker’s longtime collaborators Samantha Quan and Alex Coco, along with Areta Mak, Sandiwara was commissioned by Malaysia-born, London-based fashion designer Han Chong of Self-Portrait.

Over the course of just two days, Yeoh transforms into five distinct characters: a cheerful bike-riding waitress in flared denim; a pink-haired food influencer in knee-high socks and platform sneakers; a diligent char kway teow stall owner in blue silk; a sharply critical food reviewer in leather; and Lady Orchid, a nervous singer in a white sequin gown. Each character wears Self-Portrait designs and is brought to life with unique quirks and personalities, all intersecting at the hawker centre.

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For Chong, the film is a tribute to his Malaysian heritage.

“I didn’t want to restrict Michelle and Sean with just a fashion film,” he told Variety. “This is about telling a story of my hometown, its culture, and emotion.”

He added to W Magazine: “Penang has a quiet theatricality, with its heritage architecture and layered history. It became the perfect stage for Sandiwara, which means drama in Malay. By the end, the city itself felt like our sixth character.”

Baker’s original idea for the short was wilder, featuring Yeoh “running from gangsters,” but after experiencing Penang firsthand, he shifted focus to highlight its renowned food culture.

“It was immediately clear this city is one of the world’s top foodie destinations,” Baker said.

For Chong, having Yeoh involved was a dream. “In Asia, she represents possibility,” he said. “I wanted her to represent something for our culture on a global stage, not just be part of a campaign.”

Yeoh, who is 63 and Ipoh-born, expressed a deep personal connection to the project. “Working on this film has been incredibly moving,” she said. “Han Chong brought Sean and me together so skillfully.

It was a master class in filmmaking and a reminder of why we love cinema and creativity. I’ll continue to support these outlets of pure artistic expression.”