Calalai - in-betweenness

In the village of Segeri on the island of Sulawesi, people of non-binary gender from the Bugis ethnic group live in harmony with the rest of society. For centuries, the Bugis have accepted gender diversity, believing in the existence of five genders, as it is written in La Galigo. The world’s longest epic, La Galigo was considered the bible of the Bugis before Islam became widespread among them. In her documentary, Kiki Febriyanti explores the question, “Who is calalai?” by talking directly to people who consider themselves to be calalai. The film delves into their thoughts and psychology, exploring the importance of gender diversity and the role of Calalai people in Bugis culture. How has the increasingly Westernized world and its binary conceptions of gender affected how they see themselves?