Film at Freer: A Courtesan (Meyer Auditorium) August 20, 2005

Based on a famous novel, this gorgeous historical epic from director Nia Dinata was a hit at several international film festivals. It tells the story of an Indonesian woman living in Holland who returns to her homeland to discovery the mystery of the parents who gave her up for adoption. Their surprising tale, told in evocative flashbacks, reveals a forbidden romance between her mother, a "ca-kau-ban," or courtesan, and her lover, a Chinese trader. (2002, 120 min.)