Adam Gutch & Chu-Li Shewring
Production support
In the jungles of Borneo, an Iban father on the cusp of old age begins a river journey to seek help for his sick child. Troubled by uncanny visions, which arise out of the bizarre world of the rainforests, father and son are drawn into a final 'encounter' deep inside the jungle. Semangat was made through working closely with one Iban longhouse community from Sarawak, Malaysia. The main protagonists of the film are a real father and son, and a retired shaman from this community. The film explores the conflict that exists between the ancient animist beliefs of many Iban and modern/ western approaches to illness.