Semangat (Spirit)
Adam Gutch
Synopsis
In the jungles of Borneo, an Iban father on the cusp of old age begins a river journey to seek medical help for his sick child. Along the way, the boy is troubled by recurring visions of a strange figure who appears on the river bank. As the journey progresses, father and son are drawn inexorably to a final encounter with the mythical 'transformed' shaman who dwells deep inside the jungle.
Semangat was made by working closely with one Iban longhouse community from Sarawak, Malaysia with whom the story was devised and filmed. Set in the jungles of Borneo, the basis of the film explores the conflict that exists between ancient animist beliefs and modern approaches to illness. The main protagonists of the film are a real father and son, and a retired shaman from this community.
Semangat is a micro-budget hybrid docu-fiction film funded by The Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation, The UK Film Council/CTBF John Brabourne Award and Screen South. It has been produced under the creative guidance of award winning filmmaker, Pawel Pawlikowski (Last Resort, My Summer of Love). It has been co-produced with The National Film and Television School.
Details
- Year
- 2010
- Type of film
- Features
- Running Time
- 44 mins
- Format
- HDCAM
- Director
- Adam Gutch, Chu-Li Shewring 1st Feature
- Producer
- Pawel Pawlikowski, Dick Fontaine, Jess Search, Maxyne Franklin, Nik Powell
- Co-Producer
- Pawel Pawlikowski, Dick Fontaine, Jess Search, Maxyne Franklin, Nik Powell
- Editor
- Chu-Li Shewring
- Screenwriter
- Adam Gutch, Chu-Li Shewring
- Director of Photography
- Adam Gutch
- Sound
- Chu-Li Shewring
- Music
- Mat Davidson
- Principal Cast
- Tambi Anak Kasi, Delly Anak Tambi, Ujan Anak Paing
Production status
Complete
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Last updated 2nd March 2010
