Choezom’s Story: All about TB

Choezum’s story came from a visit to a monastery in Tibet by two UK doctors, to find ways of reducing TB in Tibetan communities. The film was made to pass on this experience, and the recommendations of the visit, to a much wider Tibetan audience. TB is a major problem in Tibet, as many people do not have strong resistance to the illness.

The film, which incorporates short animations about TB by MSF and others, tells the story of a nun who becomes sick with TB, and her recovery. It is designed to do more than simply share medical facts – combatting TB, which has evolved over millennia of co-existence with humans, requires changing habits and understanding how it spreads. The film tries to do this, while respecting the traditions, way of life and philosophy that Tibetans are struggling to preserve.

To make the film, and build something that celebrates the beauty of the monastery and mountains, we had only still images from the doctor’s visit and a few pictures of the main characters. Ariel, who made the film, stylised the photographs, and drew and painted whole scenes around them, creating a meditative mood as she added camera motion. The main version is in Lhasan Tibetan, with an English draft version provided for reference. The film was produced in partnership with Heart of Asia.