AS LONG AS THERE'S BREATH

AS LONG AS THERE'S BREATH

    Price: $350.00

    Code: 2490

    Directed by Stephanie Spray
    2009, 57 minutes


    Following the acclaimed documentaries Kale and Kale and Monsoon- Reflections, As Long as There's Breath is Stephanie Spray's third film documenting the lives of the Gayeks family in Nepal. Building on a deep bond of trust and filming their most private moments, Spray captures a family struggling for cohesion after a beloved son leaves to find work in India.

    Taking its title from a common Nepali aphorism, "As long as there's breath, there's hope," the film patiently observes the Gayeks daily rituals; as they prepare for a long day's work in the fields, share meals together, harvest crops, and rest. In one remarkable scene, three generations of women from this family gather in the shade to candidly discuss issues of sexuality and marital life.

    Using magnificent long takes and employing an intimacy that few filmmakers can achieve (Spray was eventually adopted by the Gayeks family), As Long As There's Breath connects the psychological effects of a loved one's absence to the most mundane yet essential acts of work, laying bare the family's innermost fears and hopes.


    Subjects & Collections



    Festivals & Awards

    * Whitney Biennale, 2014
    * Official Selection, Viennale
    * Official Selection, Art of the Real
    * RIDM Montreal International Documentary Festival



    Reviews

    "Recommended for Asian area studies as well as ethnographic programs interested in the intersection of rural life and urban aspirations." - Educational Media Reviews Online