Chi

201359 min 32 secFilm: Documentary

PG

Direction: Anne Wheeler

Production: Yves J. MaTracey Friesen

Script: Anne Wheeler

Anyone who knew Babz Chula—a talented, larger-than-life actress from Canada’s West Coast—could tell you that her life force, or chi, was incredibly strong. When Babz reconnected with director Anne Wheeler in 2009, they discovered a mutual interest: India.
Babz easily convinces Anne to join her on a journey to Kerala, where 63-year-old Babz will undergo treatment by a renowned Ayurvedic healer in an effort to rid herself of the cancer that has been threatening her life for the last six years. Anne suggests she bring her camera and film the treatment, and Babz enthusiastically agrees.
Not all goes according to plan when they arrive; the centre is far less sophisticated than Babz anticipated, and she is very ill from her last round of chemotherapy and the long journey. But, after six weeks of treatments, introspection, and laughs with Anne at the bare-bones clinic, Babz seems to show considerable physical and psychic improvement. At least that’s what Anne believes is happening, until they return home and it is revealed that Babz’s cancer has spread—new tumors are present and she has weeks, if not just days, to live. And now all the things they’d pondered in India, like facing death without fear or a belief in a God, become an imminent reality. Amazingly, the irrepressible Babz invites Anne and her camera to continue bearing witness to her journey into the unknown.

Other versions


Subject categories


  • Health and Medicine > CancerCoping with Illness and Dying
  • Religion, Beliefs and Ethics > Life and Death
  • Family Studies/Home Economics > Aging/Death and Dying
  • Health/Personal Development > Disease Prevention
  • Media Education > Documentary Film

Credits


writer
Anne Wheeler
director
Anne Wheeler
producer
Yves J. Ma
editor
Hart Snider
Janice Brown
camera
Ray Harper
Luben Izov
Anne Wheeler
sound
Ray Harper
Luben Izov
Anne Wheeler
music
Stu Goldberg
score performer
Stu Goldberg
score recording
Stu Goldberg
score mixing
Stu Goldberg
vocals
Jennifer Lauren
sound design
Gael MacLean
sound supervision
Gael MacLean
narrator
Anne Wheeler
location support
Luben Izov
post technical support
Luben Izov
additional camera
Aviv Cuilla
Orpheo Cuilla
Ben Ratner
A.J. Vesak
Paul Mitchnik
music clearances
Found Images Research
dialogue editing
Doug Paterson
re-recording
Doug Paterson
foley
Jeremy Butler
post coordinator
Andy Nathani
colorist
Achim Kapitza
titling
Flavio Bidese
production coordinator
Jennifer Roworth
technical coordinator
Wes Machnikowski
production supervisor
Kathryn Lynch
marketing manager
Leslie Stafford
program administrator
Janine Steele
executive producer
Tracey Friesen

Awards


  • Best Short DocumentaryCanadian Screen Awards
  • Best Musical Score in a Documentary Program or SeriesLeo Awards
  • Best Screenwriting in a Documentary Program or SeriesLeo Awards