''Chi'' is a 2013

National Film Board of Canada The National Film Board of Canada (NFB; ) is a Canadian public film and digital media producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary films, animation, web documentaries, and altern ...

documentary film by

Anne Wheeler Anne Wheeler, OC, (born September 23, 1946) is a Canadian film and television writer, producer, and director. Biography Graduating in Mathematics from the University of Alberta she was a computer programmer before traveling abroad. Her years o ...

about Vancouver actress

Babz Chula Babz Chula (born as Barbara Ellen Zuckerman; March 22, 1947 – May 7, 2010) was an American-born Canadian actress and musician. Early life, education and career Barbara Ellen Zuckerman was born in Springfield, Massachusetts but spent her e ...

and her death from

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...

. Part of the film was shot at an

ayurvedic Ayurveda (; ) is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. It is heavily practised throughout India and Nepal, where as much as 80% of the population report using ayurveda. The theory and practice of ayur ...

clinic in Kerala, India, where Chula had travelled for cancer treatment in 2010. The idea to make a film about her story first occurred to Wheeler when she cast Chula, already diagnosed with cancer in real life, as a cancer patient who dispenses philosophical advice in her 2008 TV movie, ''Living Out Loud''. When Wheeler and Chula worked together again the following year on

Carl Bessai Carl Bessai (born 1966 in Edmonton, Alberta) is a Canadian film director and screenwriter. Bessai studied at OCAD University and at York University in Toronto graduating with a Master of Fine Arts Degree. He got his start directing documentary fi ...

's film ''Fathers & Sons'', Chula shared the story of a patient she'd met at a chemotherapy who credited her recovery to treatment in India. Wheeler, who had spent considerable time in India, decided to accompany Chula on her search for a cure. The film had its world premiere in April 2013 at the

Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival The Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival is the largest documentary festival in North America. The event takes place annually in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The 27th edition of the festival took place online throughout May and Jun ...

. On March 9, 2014, ''Chi'' was named best short documentary film at the

Canadian Screen Awards The Canadian Screen Awards () are awards given for artistic and technical merit in the film industry recognizing excellence in Canadian film, English-language television, and digital media ( web series) productions. Given annually by the Academy ...

.Liz Braun, "Enemy, Mortal Instruments dominate award show". QMI Agency, March 9, 2014.

References

External links

* * 2013 films 2013 short documentary films National Film Board of Canada documentaries Films directed by Anne Wheeler Documentary films about actors Documentary films about cancer Documentary films about women in film Films shot in Vancouver Films shot in India Documentary films about death Best Short Documentary Film Genie and Canadian Screen Award winners Canadian short documentary films 2010s Canadian films {{short-documentary-film-stub