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Arawinda Kirana is an Indonesian actress, director and writer based in Los Angeles. Her titular performance in the TIFF Platform Prize-winning feature YUNI (2021) is critically acclaimed by festival critics, Criterion, and Variety quotes "Excellent, performed with an unfussy and convincing naturalism".

Currently, Arawinda is set to star and produce 'Ibu', the feature film debut of renowned director and photographer Kanya Iwana. Arawinda is also writing her feature directorial debut, titled 'DEF(R)AMED', which follows a young woman navigating "love", power dynamics and assault in the limelight of public scrutiny and an unjust legal system.

Arawinda studied Film & Television Production at the University of Southern California with a scholarship directly from the School of Cinematic Arts. During her time in the university, she also trained in musical theatre and ballet which she had picked up since a young age. As a filmmaker and activist, she began with making documentaries in rural areas of Indonesia, to writing true life-based fictional stories that highlight social issues including environment and colorism.

While living in Indonesia, Arawinda founded the viral #BerkainBersama movement which sparked a cultural artistic revolution within the nation, reaching large audiences with more than 500M engagement across all social media platforms.

Arawinda Kirana on the cover of Prestige Magazine

She credits one of her most unforgettable moments as when Giuseppe Tornatore personally awarded her the Silver Yusr for Best Actress in Red Sea International Film Festival, and gave her a warm commendation for her performance in YUNI (2021).

She worked as an English translator and Video Editor during her high school years, while dabbling being President of the Student Council, and member of the Model United Nations and debate teams.

Along with her youth organization, she started several viral cultural trends in Indonesia including #BerkainBersama.

She has played two titular lead roles, Yuni and Nurbaya, both of which are characters who were forced to arranged marriage, and ultimately ended up being symbols of empowerment.

She studies Film &amp; Television Production at the University of Southern California - School of Cinematic Arts, with a scholarship directly under the university.

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Arawinda Kirana

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