Siti (35) waits as her husband undergoes a 40-day spiritual retreat to conceive a child. Throughout this time, he confines himself to a room, and Siti is forbidden from seeing or meeting him. Every day, she brings him food but must avert her gaze to honor the ritual’s taboo. On the 40th night, a surge of hope wells up in Siti’s heart, certain that the retreat will end right at midnight. Yet when the clock drifts past twelve, the door stands locked in stillness, with no sign of her husband.
Khairul Mustofa (Kendal, 1997) has been involved in filmmaking since 2014 with the Rumah Kreatif Film Kendal community. His short film, Hong Gempur, won Best Film and Best Director at the 2016 Sukabumi Student Film Festival and received nominations at several national festivals. In 2017, alongside his community, Khairul released the short film Reksa, distributed through mobile outdoor screenings across villages, reflecting his commitment to building a regional filmmaking ecosystem.
