GENTRIFICATION, SOCIAL INEQUALITY, FEMALE SOLIDARITY
Nurjanah has been running her small salon in South Kemang for 17 years. More than just an affordable haircut place, her salon has become a safe space and gathering spot for women from lower- to middle-income backgrounds. One day, a new client named Eti visits. During their conversation, it comes to light that Nurjanah’s old house was once demolished to make way for a shopping mall.
Bad news strikes again when Lilis, a longtime client, informs her that Salon Gue Aje is about to be evicted to make room for a wellness center complex deemed more “suitable” for Kemang’s aesthetic. Already aware of the looming threat, Nurjanah can only offer a bitter laugh. The same pattern keeps repeating: small, “unsuitable” spaces are gradually pushed aside, and now it’s her turn.
Tahlia Motik is an actress based in Jakarta, Indonesia, who trained at Bengkel Akting Kuma. She has appeared in several short films, including Ringroad (2021), Bertepatan (2022), and Spektakel (2023), as well as feature films Lampir (2024), Heartbreak Motel (2024), Pasutri Gaje (2024), and Tukar Takdir (2025). She wrote and directed her first short film, Status Quo (2022), which was selected for the inaugural Screening Ledakan curation in 2023. She later wrote the short documentary Sayang 1000x Sayang (2023) and co-directed the music video Pabrik (2024) for the band Mother Bank alongside Gelar Soemantri.
