Patsy Lo, a Hong Kong-born artist and former Apple executive, has released her latest experimental dance film, Anamnesis II, shot in the remote Patagonian Steppe spanning Argentina and Chile. The 10-minute piece combines contemporary dance with the stark natural environment near Mount Fitz Roy, exploring themes of memory embodied through movement and exhaustion.
Lo’s journey to creating Anamnesis II has been unconventional. Raised in a cramped Mong Kok flat shared with five family members, Lo climbed the corporate ladder to secure a coveted position at Apple. However, in her early 40s, while working in Beijing, she developed a severe case of shingles that triggered a prolonged health crisis. Despite extensive medical treatment, including sedatives and antidepressants, she declined medications fearing dependency. During her darkest moments, when she was unable to wear clothes, leave bed, or eat without regurgitating, she reached a turning point of desperation and acceptance, praying for relief.
Her recovery, aided by acupuncture and natural therapies, allowed her to continue working at Apple across Singapore and California before she departed in 2018 to pursue dance, an art form she discovered later in life. At 48, Lo relocated to Paris and enrolled in the Paris Marais Dance School, committing to intensive training despite having no prior dance background. Inspired by a Cirque du Soleil performance in Macau, she sought the presence and mindfulness conveyed through simple movement rather than technical complexity.
After two years of rigorous training, Lo felt confident enough to dance and eventually founded her own company, SML Dance. A transformative trip to Patagonia four years ago further shaped her artistic vision. Confronted with the region’s harsh elements and vast, uncontrollable landscape, Lo found a sense of peace and honesty that she has since sought to express through her work.
Anamnesis II was self-financed and produced with a small, international team, including director Takuya Setomitsu and co-choreographer Yuh Egami from Hong Kong Ballet. The project engaged professional Patagonian mountain guide Facundo Jios for logistical support in navigating the challenging terrain. Lo describes the film as a “quiet opening” that invites viewers to experience vulnerability and awe rooted in the natural world.
The film premiered this month across properties of the Upper House hotel group in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Chengdu. It follows the first installment of the Anamnesis series, which was filmed on Japan’s Sado Island in 2025, blending elements of traditional Noh theatre with contemporary dance. Lo plans additional installments, including projects centered in Kyushu and on themes of femininity.
Scheduled for release later this year on YouTube and Instagram, Anamnesis II will also be presented in select curated screenings in Hong Kong and beyond. Through this ongoing series, Lo continues to explore how art can serve as a personal act of remembrance and connection.