China 2019
Duration: 03:47
Directed by: Jiaqi Wang
Dialogue language: Chinese, English

This project is based on the Welcome Collection Museum. A filmmaker needs to choose an object from the museum and make a film based on it. Kareau is a wooden figure from the Nicobar Islands. It was set up, put outside a sick person’s house to scare and drive away from the bad spirits thought to be causing the disease. This film is for my aunt, she had breast cancer last year. I was depressed and did not know how to help her. When I went to the Welcome Collection Museum, I found this wooden figure in the center of the room, and I was interested in it’s healing power to the people living on the Nicobar Islands. (That is how I start to want to make this film.) I’m trying to discuss the certainty of hope (Kareau) and uncertainty of disease (Cancer) in this film. Without the support of belief, what is the percentage of faith for people? If the survival rate of cancer patients is 99%, then this 1% is a psychological torment for patients. Comparing the tribal people’s firm belief in healing totems, can we use this belief to make up for this 1% gap? If this exists, it will be an unpredictable comfort for the patient - the high 1% comfort. After deciding to make this film, I interviewed my aunt and wrote a monologue based on her speaking. Then I sent it back to her, and she changed some words to make it more encouraging. Then I decided to use her script version and used her voice in my film. In the film, I draw myself as a tapir, and I try to make my aunt get better by make the film. This comes from an idea of Mise en Abyme (Injecting self- reflexive into the film.) Because Kareau is not just a documentary animation about a cancer patient, but also a ritual for me to cure my aunt. For generals, I hope this film could let the audience feel the possible balance between hope and death, and to understand patients’ suffering and struggling, and the importance of hope for them.

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