The movie, written and directed by , is a romantic drama set in 1930s Sarawak, Borneo. It explores the relationship between John Truscott and Selima, who is tasked with teaching him the local Iban language and customs through an intimate partnership. Their romance faces severe opposition from both British colonial authorities and local tribal leaders due to contemporary social taboos and legal prohibitions against inter-racial marriage. Production & Themes
Here is the full main cast for The Sleeping Dictionary (2003): sleeping dictionary cast