In Indonesia’s South Sulawesi province, the ancient Bugis way of life recognizes five genders: men, women, transgender men, transgender women, and bissu. Recognized as spiritual leaders who embody the aspects of all genders (and without their constraints), bissu were once the spokespeople of kings, but their place in society has gradually eroded. In the wake of governments clamping down on indigenous traditions, religious assimilation, and evolving norms, bissu have been dwindling in number over the last century. Eka, one of the few remaining bissu, struggles to reconcile their personal identity with community expectations and their own devout Muslim faith as they prepare for their Hajj pilgrimage.
Embracing the rich, dynamic expressions of gender and religious identities at play, director Andrea Suwito’s debut feature documentary is an insightful, open-ended exploration of Eka’s journey. Steeped in the minutiae of daily life, A Distant Call is at once deeply personal and culturally expansive, rooted in the fluid search for meaning and selfhood in a shifting world.
Supported by
Media Partner
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Bissu/Haji Eka, Bissu Nisa, Bissu Matang, Puang Matoa Nani, Puang Matoa Ancu, Puang Matoa Ecce
France/Indonesia/UK
2026
In Bugis and Indonesian with English subtitles
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Credits & Director
Producer
Finbar Somers, Mandy Marahimin, Xavier Rocher
Cinematography
Andrea Suwito, Rahman Saade
Editor
Finbar Somers
Original Music
Clément Barral
Andrea Suwito
Andrea Suwito is a filmmaker from Semarang, Indonesia. She was a fellow at the Scottish Documentary Institute and the Points NorthFellowship at Camden International Film Festival, and an alumna of the DocNomads programme under an Erasmus scholarship. Her films have screened at Hot Docs 2026, Visions du Réel, Sheffield DocFest, and many others. A Distant Call (2026) is her debut feature documentary.
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