Eldorado
A poetic documentary that uncovers a forgotten colonial history through the story of a 96-year-old woman from the Banda Islands.
In Eldorado, filmmaker Juul Sadée follows 96-year-old Shinta and the generations of women who came before her. Set on the Banda Islands, the film unfolds as a layered reflection on colonialism, forced migration and the resilience of cultural traditions that survive despite violence and displacement.The documentary is the result of six years of research and close collaboration with the local community. Sadée combines observation, ritual, dance and memory into a sensory cinematic experience in which past and present continuously intertwine. At the heart of the film is the pajogi dance, a tradition brought to the island of Rhun by enslaved women from Buton and still carried on today as an act of collective memory and connection.
Through meditative imagery, immersive sound design and a strong focus on the voices of the community, Eldorado explores how history continues to echo across generations while shedding light on an overlooked chapter of Indonesia’s colonial past.