The film was screened in the following film festivals : The film critics ' website Inspire Ground praises Soeriaatmadja 's direction in regards to Cahaya and Syaiful 's contradicting values for managing to make " both world combined and worked well ... without having too much fantasy or too depressing . " The review singled out Damara 's performance as Syaiful/Ipuy , noting that " it was pretty shocking to see Damara as a transgender . " In a positive review , Elizabeth Kerr of '' The Hollywood Reporter '' also singled out Damara 's performance , calling it " Damara 's show " while adding that " with his square jaw and heavy brow , Damara jettisons excessive mannerisms for little details ( playing with his eyelashes , fidgeting with his wig ) and stays respectful of Ipuy . He uses words as weapons and comports himself in a way that makes clear the status transgender people hold in the world . When he finally relates to Cahaya as Saiful , his ruggedly handsome features carry a melancholy that speaks to what happens after the film is over . Ipuy is in trouble with some local gangsters and after he sends Cahaya home with a promise never to contact him again , it ’s clear how the story truly ends . " The film received many awards and nominations , both domestic and international . Donny Damara received rave reviews for his performance as Syaiful/Ipul , resulting in a Best Actor accolade from Maya Awards , Asian Film Awards , and the Indonesian Oscar-equivalent Citra Awards . The film has been credited for reviving Damara 's career as a film actor
Asian Film Awards
6th Asian Film Awards
Lovely Man