Street Ballad: A Jakarta Story
A young, gifted street musician searches for identity, legitimacy, and love on the frenzied streets of Jakarta, Indonesia.
Titi Juwariyah, 27, is a street singer in Jakarta, Indonesia. She leads a challenging, conflicted life — from her migration to Jakarta as a lost teen from the Java countryside to her heartfelt quest for identity and acceptance in her adopted city.
Armed with just a battered guitar, a soulful voice, and a desire for a better life, Titi composes catchy folk tunes to entertain passengers on Jakarta's teeming buses. She dreams of making a career in music but is overwhelmed by the pressures of supporting her troubled family.
When personal crisis strikes, Titi finds herself alone and on the edge of despair. An emotional journey to see her ailing parents in their remote countryside village provides Titi with important perspective and new determination to turn her life around.
Back on the streets of Jakarta, Titi embarks on a brave new quest for independence and legitimacy. But in the process of chasing that dream, she stands to lose the very thing that is closest to her heart.