Filmmaker Statement

The Chinese idiom “Neither Donkey Nor Horse” describes an odd animal that does not fit into either of its parent species — rejected by both for its bold, boundary-crossing integration. Such is the experience of Dr. Wu Lien-teh, a western-educated Chinese physician who, during his divided time, was outcast by both the Western scientist community and the old China that he called home. Neither Donkey Nor Horse is a story about spiritual homelessness. Dr. Wu — just like the theory he devised and the masks he invented — was rejected, underestimated, and ignored for not conforming to tribalism and the established ways of reasoning. He believed that truth could exist on the margins of our divisions, and worked tirelessly to erase our boundaries using a combination of artful persuasion and scientific reasoning. Like countless unsung heroes of his time, Dr. Wu’s name remained obscure in the West as well as in China. Just a few years ago, at the height of the pandemic, the World Health Or