Island of the Hungry Ghosts explained

Island of the Hungry Ghosts
Producer:Alexander Wadouh
Samm Haillay
Alex Kelly
Gizem Acarla
Gabrielle Brady
Starring:Poh Lin Lee
Cinematography:Michael Latham
Editing:Katharina Fiedler
Production Companies:Chromosom Film
Distributor:Autlook Filmsales
Runtime:98 minutes
Country:Germany
Great Britain
Australia
Language:English

Island of the Hungry Ghosts is a hybrid documentary film by director Gabrielle Brady that explores the conflict faced by trauma therapist Poh Lin Lee, who works in the Australian Detention Centre for Asylum Seekers on Christmas Island.[1] It premiered at Tribeca Film Festival in 2018 where it won the Award for Best International Documentary.[2] It was shown at festivals all over the world, winning several prizes. It was also released in cinemas in the United Kingdom, Australia, North America and Germany.

Summary

Located off the coast of Indonesia, the Australian territory of Christmas Island is inhabited by migratory crabs travelling in their millions from the jungle towards the ocean, in a movement that has been provoked by the full moon for hundreds of thousands of years.

Poh Lin Lee is a “trauma therapist” who lives with her family in this seemingly idyllic paradise. Every day, she talks with the asylum seekers held indefinitely in a high-security detention centre hidden in the island’s core, attempting to support them in a situation that is as unbearable as its outcome is uncertain. As Poh Lin and her family explore the island’s beautiful yet threatening landscape, the local islanders carry out their “hungry ghost” rituals for the spirits of those who died on the island without a burial. They make offerings to appease the lost souls who are said to be wandering the jungles at night looking for home.

In the intimacy of her therapy sessions, as Poh Lin listens to the growing sense of despair of the people she counsels, she begins to feel the creeping dystopia reverberate through her own life.

Island of the Hungry Ghosts is a hybrid documentary that moves between the natural migration and the chaotic and tragic migration of the humans, which is in constant metamorphoses by the unseen decision-making structures.[3] [4] [5] [6]

Accolades

!Award!Category!Recipient!Result!Ref.
Tribeca Film FestivalBest Documentary FeatureIsland of the Hungry Ghosts[7]
Visions du RéelBuyens-Chagoll AwardIsland of the Hungry Ghosts[8]
Independent Spirit AwardsBest Documentary FeatureIsland of the Hungry Ghosts[9]
IDFAAmsterdam Human Rights AwardIsland of the Hungry Ghosts[10]
German film prizeBest DocumentaryIsland of the Hungry Ghosts[11]
Valletta Film FestivalBest Documentary filmIsland of the Hungry Ghosts[12]
Mumbai Film FestivalGrand Jury Prize for the International CompetitionIsland of the Hungry Ghosts[13]
Edinburgh International Film FestivalSpecial Mention Island of the Hungry Ghosts[14]
Crested Butte Film FestivalBest DocumentaryIsland of the Hungry Ghosts[15]
Adelaide Film FestivalFlinders University Feature Documentary AwardIsland of the Hungry Ghosts[16]
Darwin International Film FestivalBest Documentary Island of the Hungry Ghosts
Human Rights Film Festival ZurichMercurius Prize Island of the Hungry Ghosts[17]
Festival des Libertés 2018Prix SMARTIsland of the Hungry Ghosts[18]
SAE ATOM Awards 2018Best Documentary Island of the Hungry Ghosts[19]
British Independent Film AwardsBest Music Aaron Cupples[20]
FIFO Tahiti 2019Prix spécial du JuryIsland of the Hungry Ghosts[21]
Ozflix Independent Film Awards Best Film Island of the Hungry Ghosts[22]
Best Director Gabrielle Brady
Best CinematographyMichael Latham
Best EditingKatharina Fiedler
Best Sound DesignLeo Dolgan
Best Original Soundtrack Aaron Cupples
ZagrebDox 2019Special Mention from the Movies That Matter Jury Island of the Hungry Ghosts
Sole Luna Doc Film Festival 2019Best DocumentaryIsland of the Hungry Ghosts[23]
Audience PrizeIsland of the Hungry Ghosts
Down Under Berlin FFBest FilmIsland of the Hungry Ghosts[24]
Move it! Dresden 2019Human Rights AwardIsland of the Hungry Ghosts[25]
Aubagne International Film Festival Best Original SoundtrackAaron Cupples[26]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The film that reveals an island idyll's traumatic secret. The Guardian. January 3, 2019.
  2. Web site: Tribeca Film Festival, Island of the Hungry Ghosts. April 19, 2018.
  3. Web site: Island of the Hungry Ghosts - Official Website. Island of the Hungry Ghosts - Official Website.
  4. Web site: Gabrielle Brady’s ‘The Island of Hungry Ghosts’. The Monthly. May 1, 2019.
  5. Web site: Review: Migration and Trauma on Christmas Island. The New York Times. March 7, 2019.
  6. Web site: Tribeca Review. Screen Daily. April 20, 2018.
  7. Web site: Tribeca Awards Screening 2018.
  8. Web site: Visions du Réel 2018.
  9. Web site: 2020 Independent Spirit Awards.
  10. Web site: IDFA 2018 Amsterdam Human Rights Award.
  11. Web site: German Film Prize.
  12. Web site: Valletta Film Festival.
  13. Web site: Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image.
  14. Web site: Edinburgh International Film Festival.
  15. Web site: Crested Butte Film Festival.
  16. Web site: 2018 Adelaide Film Festival.
  17. Web site: Human Rights Film Festival Zurich.
  18. Web site: 2018 Festival des Libertés.
  19. Web site: SAE ATOM Awards 2018.
  20. Web site: 2018 British Independent Film Awards.
  21. Web site: FIFO Tahiti 2019.
  22. Web site: 2019 Ozflix Independent Film Awards.
  23. Web site: The 2019 Sole Luna Doc Film Festival.
  24. Web site: Down Under Berlin FF 2019.
  25. Web site: Move it! Dresden 2019.
  26. Web site: 2019 Aubagne International Film Festival.

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