Sweet Dreams ( 2023 )

The demise of European colonialism has never been captured in a more vibrant and aesthetically exuberant manner than in this delightfully cynical film. When the proprietor of a sugar cane plantation on an Indonesian island falls to his death after a late-night visit to his housekeeper, mistress, and mother of his illegitimate child, his family is faced with unprecedented trials, including a workers' revolt and a society and place that had never truly embraced their presence. Examining history with a clearly skewed and meta perspective, Sweet Dreams unravels the toxic nature of an unethical exploitation system with intelligence and style, in this ironic and penetrating social thriller, becoming a bizarre yet exceptional cinematic gem.—Thessaloniki International Film Festival