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naakita f.k.
“The World is its Memory” is an elegy for the last Yangtze giant soft shell turtle and the river delta it once called home.

This experimental documentary charts the path of the Yangtze giant soft shell turtle through its first known locations all the way to the Suzhou zoo where the last of its species remains in conservation. Through poetic interpretations of scientific approaches and folklore, “The World is its Memory” reflects on life and loss in the anthropocene while creating empathic connections with the more-than-human world.

“The World is its Memory” was made in collaboration with Xuancheng Chen and Xu Yuan. The piece is currently in post-production and is set to premier in Chicago, IL, February, 2026 at the BLOCK Cinema.

This film was made possible by the generous support of the Cyrus Tang Foundation with additional funding from The School of Communication and the Department of Radio, TV, and Film (Northwestern University, USA) and The College of Art and Media (Tongji University, China).