A Young Man's Dream and a Woman's Secret

Filmmaker Philip Haas travels to two distinct ends of the Earth – the island nations of Madagascar and Papua New Guinea – for his next set of documentaries on diverse artforms around the globe. First, Haas journeys to the southernmost tip of Madagascar to meet Efiaimbelo, a man who works as a funerary sculptor. Featuring remarkable footage of huge tombs coated in Efiaimbelo's sculpture, the film is breathtaking to behold, providing a visually rich view into a little-known funeral tradition. Then, Haas invites the audience to the East Sepik province of Papua New Guinea, where Nera Jambruku leads a group of men who build and paint the Houses of Spirits. Haas films his men as they work day-and-night inside the house, painting a huge triangular bark, while Nera explains the role of the painting in the villagers’ lives. As viewers fall into the dynamic of the group and the elegance of the painting, they will forget, as it seems the artists did, that the filmmaker is even there.