Now, more than ever, Malaysians have come to realise the crucial role played by the arts in everyday life, whether in terms of healing or trying to make sense of existence.
With this in mind, experimental performing arts group Hermana Collective’s latest project, “Dead Water”, is a “theatre film” that can help soothe troubled spirits.
The 50-minute multidisciplinary piece features dancer Chloe Tan and theatre actors Ho Lee Ching and Tung Jit Yang, in collaboration with videographer Ravin P and art director Yusman Mokhtar.
The entire film was shot in the grounds of the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac) in Sentul.
The accompanying score by Francoe, made up of Coebar Abel and Ian Francis, effortlessly heightens the inner turmoil and emotions of the performers, elevating the intensity of the film.
The music effectively sticks with you, allowing you to completely lose yourself in the characters’ plight.
The phrase “dead water” is a nautical term used to describe an area of water of different densities that makes it hard for ships to move.
The film uses this metaphor to explore how one tries to go on with life while experiencing a state of emotional numbness that leads to the disconnect between body, mind, and the external world.
How does one carry on? Will it get better? How?
These are some of the questions the characters try to explore in their own way, and in doing so, “Dead Water” allows the audience to internalise and empathise with their internal struggles.
Despite the film being abstract and performative with no “plot” per se, its impact is visceral. As the protagonists emerge from their silent suffering, viewers, similarly, experience a sense of relief.
By the end, you just might find yourself feeling restored and rejuvenated, while having the strange urge to move, physically, to establish a greater mind-body-world connection.
Relevance to society
As arts practitioners, the cast and crew questioned their relevance to society while Covid-19 ravaged the country.
Filming proved to be a challenge because of the stress and uncertainty caused by the pandemic, and became another form of “dead water” they had to overcome. Fortunately, they managed to inspire one another to see the project through.
During the process, they learnt that their primary role as artists is to simply be human, and the end result is their way of reaching out to humanity.
All in all, “Dead Water” is a beautiful work created with a lot of heart. It’s capable of healing the soul during these bleak times, provoking viewers to come to terms with their repressed emotions and, hopefully, find catharsis in the process.
Catch the online screening of ‘Dead Water’ at 3pm and 8pm today and tomorrow. Book your tickets here.
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