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a year ago i found out that my great-great grandfather was buried in Singapore

2024

Experimental Documentary 

20 Minutes

A Year Ago I Found Out That My Great-Great Grandfather Was Buried in Singapore is a color single-channel film that explores the themes of migration, separation, and familial history, aiming to capture the nuanced landscapes where personal and universal narratives intersect.

The film features dialogues between a mother and daughter as they explore their family tree upon discovering that their great-great grandfather's grave is located on the opposite side of the land. This revelation unravels a long history tied to their ancestral island, Dabo Singkep, and its connections to economic and post-colonial migration impacts on tin miners' families. Characterized by its associative and juxtaposed nature, the film intertwines written and spoken text with moving images and elements of performativity. It begins with vivid descriptions of the grave’s discovery, blending familiar and unfamiliar perspectives. As the narrative progresses, it transitions to the poignant conversations between the mother and daughter, culminating in a performative element at the grave: a spoken response to a speculative critical letter that was never received.

This film inaugurates a year-long project by Kenenza, aimed at reflecting on the migration journey from an ethnographic perspective while interrogating issues of personal, political, and national identity within an interconnected world.

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