"every.single.one (karuna)" Experimental documentary short, 2019

One of the nine emotions (navarasas) described in the ancient Indian text on drama, the Natyashastra, karuna is the rasa of anguish, but also compassion for the difficulties of life. In this film, extreme close-ups of hand gestures and facial expression comprise the imagery and are juxtaposed with an audio montage documenting the first 72 hours after a diagnosis of hereditary breast cancer. These minimal gestures were informed by the expressive lexicon, abhinaya, that is characteristic of classical Indian dance forms in which the subtlest movement of the eyes or articulation of the hands can lead the audience into experiencing the rasa, or emotion/sentiment of a story. The tense soundscape It is comprised of phone calls and conversations with family, medical practitioners and insurance representatives documented by the filmmaker while navigating the overwhelming information in the days immediately following the life-changing news.  Sound and gesture are contrasted with images of the natural world, alternating between the restless and beatific, the latter offering momentary glimpses of calm (shanta rasa) at the center of chaos.

Director: Cherie Sampson

Camera: Cherie Sampson & Radim Schreiber

Choreography for the camera: Anjali Tata-Hudson & Cherie Sampson

All video and audio post-production: Cherie Sampson

(Sound Montage:  Phone calls and conversations with medical practitioners and family in the first 72 hours after a diagnosis of breast cancer and during treatment)

 

SCREENINGS & EXHIBITIONS:

  • This film is presented in Act I of the “every.single.one” theatrical live performance as part of its projection design. 2023-25.
  • Art, Cancer & Transformation, Solo art exhibition, FMAAA / Fort Madison Area Arts Association gallery, Fort Madison, Iowa. Screening on a TV monitor. 2025.
  • every.single.one: art, cancer & transformation, Solo art exhibition at Joan Hisaoka Gallery, Smith Center for Healing & the Arts, Washington, D.C. 2023. Exhibited as wall video projection. 2023.
  • Personal History, Art St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri. Group/Juried art exhibition. 2023.
  • The Quality of Being Fleeting, Two-person art exhibition (with Gillian Brown). Invited. Gallery 826, Santa Fe, New Mexico. The exhibition was also part of the annual CURRENTS New Media Festival.  Video projection on the gallery wall. 2022.
  • Voices & Visions: Standing on the Bridge Between Health & Disease, Highland Park Art Center, Highland Park, IL. Group art exhibition, curated by Caren Rudman. 2022.
  • Masur Museum’s 58th Annual Juried Competition, Monroe, LA. Host Venue: Northeast LA. Delta African American Heritage Museum. Kelli Morgan, Juror. Award: Best of Show. 2021.
  • 32nd September Competition Exhibition, Juried art exhibition, Alexandria Museum of Art, Alexandria, Louisiana. Award: First Place. 2019.
  • 2019 Biennial Quad State Exhibition, Juried art exhibition, Quincy Art Center, Quincy, Illinois. Set this film up as a video installation for the show: Award: Merit. 2019.
  • Positive/Negative, 34th Annual National Juried Art Exhibition, Slocumb Galleries, ETSU, Johnson City, Tennessee.
  • Queens World Film Festival Screening at Elmhurst Hospital, NYC. Screened film as part of the “Stronger Than You Think You Are” block from the 2020 Queens World Film Festival. 2021.
  • SLIFF/St. Louis International Film Festival, organized by Cinema St. Louis. Hi-Pointe Theater, St. Louis, Missouri. A selection of works from the Louis Filmmaker’s Showcase awardees. 2021.
  • Louis Filmmaker’s Showcase, organized by Cinema St. Louis, Missouri. Online. Award: Best Sound in Documentary or Experimental Film. 2021.
  • 10th Annual Queens World Film festival, Museum of the Moving Image & Zukor Theater, Kaufman Astoria Studios, Astoria, NEW YORK. 2020.
  • Bolton Film Festival, Experimental Programme at Neo Art Gallery, Bolton, UK. 2019.
  • 7th Indian Cine Film Festival – 19. Short film program. Mumbai, India. Special Mention. 2019.
  • Bideodromo, International Experimental Film & Video Festival, Art House Zinema, BilbaoArte, Bilbao, Spain. 2019.
  • Seattle Transmedia & Independent Film Festival (STIFF), The Factory Luxe, Seattle, Washington. 15th Anniversary Festival. 2019.
  • American Dance Festival’s Movies by Movers Film Festival, Official Selection, Nasher Museum of Art, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina (summer) & in the fall at Appalachian State University, Boone. 2019.
  • 9th Pune Short Film Festival 2019, Official Selection, National Film Archive of India, Pune, Maharashtra, India. 2019.
  • Vero Beach Wine & Film Festival, Official Selection, Documentary Shorts program, Vero Beach Art Museum, Vero Beach, Florida. 2019.
  • Signes de Nuit International Film Festival, International Short Films Competition, AcudKino, Berlin, Germany. 2019.