In the Spring of 1994, Timothy Asch, internationally known and honored filmmaker, was dying of cancer. Educator, anthropologist, and driving force behind the Visual Anthropology Review, he is best known for his groundbraking films on the Yanomamö, made with Napoleon Chagnon, and the Indonesian films, made with Patsy Asch, James Fox, E. Douglas Lewis, and Linda Connor.
His colleague and fellow visual anthropologist, Jayasinhji Jhala, visited him at his home in Los Angeles to conduct a videotaped interview from which came this edited version. Jhala, a professor of anthropology at Temple University, makes us aware of the influence of the filmmaker on the filmed subject and vice versa. Tim took this opportunity to express his views about his life and work, revealing intimate details that give us perspective - not only about this complex individual, but also about the reality of confronting death.
Collaboration was a central theme for Tim Asch, beginning with anthropologist Napoleon Chagnon, and later continuing with the anthropologists mentioned above. He also worked with John Marshall in the late 1960s, editing Marshall's !Kung San Bushmen films shot in the 1950s. Excerpts from Asch's films, representing each of these periods, are woven into the dialogue.
For those who never knew Timothy Asch in life, this interview may offer some guidance on the way to explore the invaluable legacy of his films.