Imposing demons meet a fiery end in an annual Balinese purification ritual

Nyepi is an annual ‘Day of Silence’ on the Indonesian island of Bali. A time for quiet self-reflection, the widely observed Hindu tradition brings the region to a standstill as residents fast and meditate inside their homes for 24 hours. On the eve of the Nyepi, however, streets in every Balinese village spring to life for a Ngrupuk parade, which features expressive bamboo, grass and papier-mâché constructions known as ‘Ogoh-Ogoh’. Carefully assembled in the month leading up to the parade, these colourful ‘demons’ are meant to embody human mistakes and frailties. After Nyepi, each Ogoh-Ogoh is burned at a cemetery – a symbolic act of purification in preparation for the coming year. Exploring the meaning of the tradition while revelling in its extraordinary sights and sounds, this striking short film from the US director Travis Barron traces several Ogoh-Ogoh from their creation by a team of Balinese artists to their final resting place.