Scrap Vessel, a film by Jason Byrne

Scrap Vessel, made at CalArts in 2009, documents the last voyage of the Hari Funafuti (ex Bulk Promotor, ex Hupohai), from China to its breaking in Bangladesh. The filmmakers boarded in Singapore and joined the crew in exploring the ship and the mementos of its past that former crewmembers left behind, before filming its dismantling on the beach. The journey didn't end there--they followed the pieces to the Ali Rolling Mill, where the scraps were melted down, bringing the story of the Hari Funafuti's life as a vessel to an end.

The film has begun to tour, and will be shown at the 2010 Asian American Film Festival on Monday, Mar. 15 and Wednesday, Mar. 17. Upcoming screenings will be announced in the screenings section of their website.

And if you're at a venue that would like to screen the film, contact the crew--the director would like to bring the film, vessel plans, and various artifacts, and take the time for a Q&A with your audience.

And if you can't make it to a screening, stay tuned--a DVD version is expected to be ready later this year or early next, and its availability will be announced on their site.

Image property of Scrap Vessel