In the deserted hills of an Indonesian island, Marlina, a young widow, is attacked and robbed for her cattle. To defend herself, she kills several men of the gang. Seeking justice, she goes on a journey for empowerment and redemption. But the road is long especially when the ghost of her headless victim begins to haunt her.

"Sumba is an unusual island between the thousands that make up Indonesia. This island has
a very peculiar look. Most of Indonesia is full of greenery, but Sumba Island is very dry, a little Texas-like. It is a part of the poorest province of Indonesia, the kind of place in which our modern society can’t believe some of the things that happened and are still happening. People carry around sabers as weapons, and a group of robbers can knock on your home in the middle of the countryside, letting you know that they are going to rob you and there is nothing you can do to stop it. You just let them or they will kill you. But, it is also a place of natural beauty where you can still see centuries of culture and beliefs on its soil and heart." [Mouly Surya]

Mouly Surya (Jakarta, 1980) is considered one of the most promising female filmmakers in Indonesia. Surya had a degree in media and literature before studying film in Australia. She directs her first feature film in 2008, Fiksi. The film opens at Busan IFF and wins numerous awards including Best Director at JIFFEST. Her second feature What They Don’t Talk About When They Talk About Love (2013) screens at various film festivals including Sundance competition and Karlovy Vary. It receives The NETPAC Award at Rotterdam. Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts is Surya’s third film.