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About RAI Film
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RAI FILM
Login
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About
About RAI Film
Meet the team
Prices
Film Distribution
Watch on demand
Ethnographic Film Catalogue
Teaching resources
RAI Film Festival
About RAI Film Festival
Film Festival 2025
Film Festival 2025 Group passes
Film Festival prizes and awards
Film Conference 2025
Archive of past editions
Menu
About
About RAI Film
Meet the team
Prices
Film Distribution
Watch on demand
Ethnographic Film Catalogue
Teaching resources
RAI Film Festival
About RAI Film Festival
Film Festival 2025
Film Festival 2025 Group passes
Film Festival prizes and awards
Film Conference 2025
Archive of past editions
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Films
160 Films
shorter than 40 minutes
x
Country of production
“United Kingdom”
x
films with a digital version
39
short films
160
x
films available on demand
9
Title initial
A
1
B
12
C
7
D
7
E
5
F
7
G
9
H
10
I
9
J
3
K
1
L
9
M
10
N
3
O
3
P
4
R
9
S
26
T
12
U
3
V
4
W
4
Y
2
Region
Australia
2
British-Irish Isles
34
Caribbean Islands
5
Central America
4
Central Asia and Far East
9
Central Europe
2
Melanesia
2
Middle and Near East
8
New Zealand and Polynesia
1
North America
9
North and Northeast Africa
2
Scandinavia
6
South America
17
South Asia
11
South-East Asia
5
South-East Europe
9
Southern Africa
6
West Africa
13
Western Europe
12
Western Mediterranean
9
Country
Afghanistan
3
Anguilla
1
Australia
2
Austria
1
Botswana
1
Brazil
5
Canada
1
Cape Verde
1
Chile
1
China
3
Colombia
2
Cyprus
1
Czech Republic
1
Denmark
4
Ecuador
1
Eritrea
1
France
2
Germany
5
Ghana
2
Greece
2
Greenland
1
Guinea-Bissau
1
Haiti
1
India
7
Indonesia
2
Ireland
1
Israel
1
Italy
3
Jamaica
2
Japan
4
Jordan
1
Lesotho
1
Los Angeles
1
Malawi
1
Malta
2
Mexico
3
Mongolia
1
Morocco
1
Myanmar
1
Namibia
1
Nepal
4
New Zealand
1
Nigeria
7
Norway
2
Palestine
2
Papua New Guinea
2
Peru
4
Portugal
2
Romania
5
Russian Federation
2
Sierra Leone
2
South Africa
1
Spain
2
Sweden
2
Switzerland
1
Syria
1
The Netherlands
2
Togo
1
Trinidad and Tobago
1
United Kingdom
35
United States
6
Venezuela
3
Yemen
1
not set
3
Keywords
Agriculture / Farming
4
Agriculture/ Farming
1
Alternative culture
14
Animals
8
Animation
1
Archaeobotany / Ethnobotany
1
Archaeology
2
Archival material / Museum displays
7
Art / Artists / Artisans
8
Art/ Artists/ Artisans
2
Children / Young people
17
Collective / Community identity
9
Colonialism / Postcolonialism
2
Dance / Theatre / Performance
10
Death
4
Development projects
6
Disasters
1
Education / Knowledge Transmission
4
Education / Knowledge transmission
3
Elderly people
5
Environment
3
Ethnofiction
2
Everyday Life
2
Family / Kinship
7
Family/ Kinship
1
Festivals / Carnival
3
Film / Photography / Mass media
7
Food
3
Gender Role and Identity
10
Gender Role and identity
1
Health / Health care / Healing
7
Health/ Health care/ Healing
1
Herding
1
History
3
History of Anthropology
2
Hunting / Gathering / Fishing
4
Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples
10
Informant-researcher relationship
1
Inter-religious relations
3
Intergenerational relations
5
Internet
1
LGBTQI*
3
Labour
7
Land Rights
4
Law and Legislation / Bureaucracy
4
Life Story / Life History
1
Life Story/ Life History
1
Linguistics / Language
1
Love
3
Marriage
5
Material Culture
6
Memory
8
Migration
8
Music / Ethnomusicology
7
Nationalism
1
Personal Narrative
3
Political Activists
4
Popular Culture
3
Possession
1
Post-communism
4
Prison
1
Public Figure
2
Race / Racism / Antiracism
3
Reflexivity
3
Refugees / Displaced populations
6
Religion / Belief / Faith
19
Reproduction (biology)
1
Resistance
2
Ritual
16
Rural
2
Sex / Sexuality
4
Shamans and Shamanism
1
Social Change
6
Social Conflict
4
Social Organisation
1
Socioeconomic conditions
5
Sport
5
Squatter Settlements / Homelessness
7
Tourism / Travel / Pilgrimage
6
Trade
5
Travellers / Roma
4
Urban
12
War / Conflict / Reconciliation
10
Directors
Al Akash, Ruba
1
Allward, Caroline
1
Alves-Costa, Catarina
1
Anttila, Birgitta H.
1
Asadullah, Sara
1
Asare-Nyako, Afua
1
Austena, Aunund
1
Baily, John
3
Banks, Marcus
1
Basu, Paul
1
Beier, Ulli
1
Belkind, Lukas
1
Benfield, Andy
1
Berg, Julia
1
Bernstein, Anya
1
Bolchover, James
1
Boswall, Karen
1
Bradbury, Ray
1
Brewer, Teri F.
1
Calugareanu, Ilinca
1
Campbell, Karlia
1
Cheetham, Ben
1
Christodoulou, Chris
1
Clarissou, Priscilla
1
Clay, Charlie
1
Clifford-Jaeger, Simone
1
Contreras, Elisa
1
Cook, Alistair
1
Coppe, Alexia
1
Coppens, Sharis
1
Corral Paredes, Carolina
1
Demiralay, Hakan
1
Dietrich, Martha-Cecilia
2
Drion, Georges
1
Dyson, Jane
1
Eagle, Rob
1
Eaton, Michael
1
Edwards, Bob
1
Elliot, Dominic
1
Engels, Claudia
1
Eschenbach, Sebastian
1
Fales, Ludovica
1
Farrell, Emma
1
Fassnidge, Matthew
1
Fedda, Yasmin
1
Finnestad, Mari
1
Ford, Ellie
1
French, Dominic
1
Goldberg, Claudia
1
Grasseni, Cristina
1
Greenwood, Rachel
1
Griggs, David
1
Grossman, Alyssa
2
Grove-White, Will
1
Gruber, Martin
1
Gupta, Meghna
1
Hammill, Ruth
1
Hann, Amelia
1
Hanson, Kieran
1
Harper, Peggy
2
Harrison, Ross
1
Hartford, Hugh
1
Hatland, Line
1
Heer, Madelief de
1
Henley, Paul
3
Hertog, Ester
1
Hill, Amanda
1
Hill, Joanna
1
Hirl, Alexander
1
Hogel, Jakob
1
Horton, Robin
1
Hughes, Richard
1
Hughes-Freeland, Felicia
1
Huysmans, Carla
1
Ihle, Johanne Haaber
1
Jeppesen, Kira de Hemmer
1
Jerstad, Jon
1
Johnston, Graham
1
Juárez-Allen, Gema
1
Kaymak, Vedide
1
Kenneil, Alastair
1
Kirk, Laura
1
Kirkwood, Nick
1
Kriszio, Janina
1
Kurc, Julia
1
LaPin, Deirdre
1
Langhorst, Insa
1
Lawrence, Andy
1
Lehto, Veera
1
Leizaola, Ricardo
1
Levaulx-Vrecourt, Henriette
1
Lewis, Ariane
1
Lipsanen, Heidi
1
Lloyd, Ravi Hart
1
Loïzos, Peter
1
Lutz, Peter
1
Maagdenberg, Ester
1
MacDonald, Caro
1
Marcus, Alan
1
Marin, Nadja
1
Marrero-Guillamon, Isaac
1
McGuirk, Siobhan
1
Meriwether, Maria
1
Merli, Laetitia
1
Merrun, Gabriel
1
Milling, Julie
1
Moderbacher, Christine
1
Moggan, Julie
1
Morris, Bessie
1
Munro, Neil G.
1
Namondwe, Charles
1
Navarro Smith, Alejandra
1
Nicolau, João
1
Okojie, Paul
1
Olatunji, Ife
1
Ono, Ray
1
Owles, Ed
1
Owles, Edward
1
Pardee, Lucy
1
Paterek, Austin
1
Patriarca, Niccolo
1
Payne, Becky
1
Pedrosa, Patrícia
1
Pinhheiro, Joceny
1
Planas, María Elena
1
Pratt, Helen
1
Read, Rosie
1
Reed, Alex
1
Rens, Maarten
1
Rice, Tom
1
Richards, Naomi
1
Robertson, Rachel
1
Rosen, Jennifer
1
Ross, Nina
1
Samir-Shakir, Yasmin
1
Sandberg, Eirik
1
Savage, Rebecca
1
Schiltz, Anne
1
Schlenker, Juana
1
Schädler, Natalie
1
Schäuble, Michaela
1
Shakerifar, Elhum
1
Sonderegger, Ramona
1
Sowa, Remigiusz
1
Speed, Frank
6
Stefani, Fotini
1
Taylor, Jamie
1
Thomas Allen, Christopher
1
Torresan, Angela
1
Tovey, Ana
1
Tucker, Andrew
1
Vella, Steve
1
Vinken, Polly
1
Vybiral, James
1
Waddell, Anna
1
Webster, Rachel
1
Werbner, Richard
2
Willerslev, Rane
1
Williams, Stacey
1
Wright, Evie
1
Yezbick, Julia
1
Youngstein, Theo
1
de Bromhead, Toni
1
Series
Decolonising Shorts
1
Granada Center for Visual Anthropology Student Film
116
Granada Centre for Visual Anthropology Staff Film
1
National Film and Television School
4
Pleasure Shorts
1
Shorts Collection 2
3
Shorts collection 2
1
The Well-Being Quest in Botswana
1
not set
32
Country of production
Austria
1
Canada
1
Denmark
1
Germany
2
Jordan
1
Netherlands
1
Nigeria
5
Peru
1
Romania
1
Switzerland
1
United Kingdom
160
x
United States
3
Venezuela
1
Year of production
1931
1
1963
1
1964
1
1966
1
1970
1
1975
1
1982
1
1983
3
1984
1
1985
1
1987
2
1988
2
1991
2
1992
4
1993
1
1994
4
1995
4
1996
4
1997
5
1998
6
1999
4
2000
6
2001
7
2002
10
2003
11
2004
8
2005
2
2006
2
2007
7
2008
12
2009
11
2010
13
2011
4
2012
2
2013
1
2014
1
2015
2
2016
2
2018
3
2019
3
2020
3
Film list
75 Grams
2008
31
‘
Directed by
Priscilla Clarissou
.
Nestled below the rugged Chilean peaks of the Andes lies the gold mining town of Andacollo. The town’s remoteness and mining economy has nurtured religious beliefs in the power of the Virgin over the
South America
Labour
Material Culture
Religion / Belief / Faith
The Ainu Bear Ceremony
1931
27
‘
Directed by
Neil G. Munro
.
The RAI has reedited the original film of this ceremony among the Ainu people of Japan. In the bear ceremony, now no longer performed, a specially reared bear was reverently killed and its flesh and
Central Asia and Far East
Ritual
Animals
Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples
Back to Basics
1994
33
‘
Directed by
Dominic French
.
A group of environmentalists and homeless have purchased some land on which to settle and get back to a simpler way of life. But the nearby residents of the ‘best-kept village’ in Somerset,
British-Irish Isles
Social Conflict
Alternative culture
Land Rights
Bailarinas
2003
32
‘
Directed by
Heidi Lipsanen
.
Majê Molê is an Afro-Brazilian dance group which offers girls and young women in Olinda, Northeast Brazil, the opportunity to rise above the poverty, drug addiction and crime that scars their
South America
Dance / Theatre / Performance
Gender Role and Identity
Children / Young people
Barah Pal
2009
30
‘
Directed by
Jennifer Rosen
.
12 castes of gypsy artists ended their nomadic ways nearly 45 years ago to squat in New Delhi. Now the slum is being dismantled and rehabilitated. These are their last months in the colony as they
South Asia
Refugees / Displaced populations
Squatter Settlements / Homelessness
Travellers / Roma
Urban
Beautiful Dachau
2008
30
‘
Directed by
Alan Marcus
.
Beautiful Dachau is an experimental documentary that observes streams of visitors to the Dachau concentration camp, now a popular tourist attraction. 800,000 people visit the site annually.
Western Europe
History
Tourism / Travel / Pilgrimage
War / Conflict / Reconciliation
Beneath the Budding Greenwoods
2004
25
‘
Directed by
Evie Wright
.
Anne and Rosemary both chose to bury their husbands in the woods, whereas Tony was certain he didn’t want a vicar at his wife’s funeral. Focusing on the experiences of three grieving widows, the film
British-Irish Isles
Environment
Ritual
Death
Religion / Belief / Faith
Benin Kingship Rituals
1963
20
‘
Directed by
Frank Speed
Ray Bradbury
.
Until it was conquered by the British in 1897, the city of Benin, in what is now Nigeria, was the centre of a powerful kingdom. Its rulers, the Obas of Benin, were mysterious, secluded figures who
West Africa
Ritual
Dance / Theatre / Performance
History
Between Memories
2015
34
‘
Directed by
Martha-Cecilia Dietrich
.
Eudosia is still searching for her husband’s remains in the highlands of Ayacucho; Lucero has been in prison for 25 years now for the crime of terrorism against the Peruvian state; since 2009 the
South America
Memory
War / Conflict / Reconciliation
Born Again
2003
19
‘
Directed by
Carla Huysmans
.
Carla last met Maureen Mulozi in 1998 in Lusaka, Zambia where they were colleagues and friends. Since then Maureen’s life has changed considerably: she became a ‘born again’ Christian and moved to
Southern Africa
Religion / Belief / Faith
Inter-religious relations
The Boy From Allison Street
1998
30
‘
Directed by
Caroline Allward
.
Wayne has left school, sweet 16, disillusioned, with no qualifications. He is briefly distracted by Becka, the girl next door, and the discovery of his father’s porno movie. But all he really wants
British-Irish Isles
Children / Young people
Love
Boya Boya (Shine Shine)
2014
18
‘
Directed by
Karen Boswall
Ruba Al Akash
.
A portrait of Syrian refugee Mohammed, a 12-year-old shoe shine boy, ‘Boya Boya (Shine Shine)’ looks at the reality of the growing population of urban refugees from a child’s point of view. While
Middle and Near East
Children / Young people
Refugees / Displaced populations
Labour
Breaking the Yard
2018
21
‘
Directed by
Richard Werbner
.
"Breaking-the-Yard" documents the court hearings and troubled affairs of a quarrelsome young couple, a stay-at-home farmer and his police constable, town-savvy wife. They claim to be still
Southern Africa
Family / Kinship
Gender Role and Identity
Law and Legislation / Bureaucracy
Love
Marriage
Business as Usual
2002
27
‘
Directed by
Lucy Pardee
.
Everyone knows about Ground Zero in New York, but have you bought into the memory? Big Mike, Tyrone and the other street vendors will sell you part of the disaster whilst offering you their views on
North America
Trade
Memory
Disasters
Cae Dai – a Home From Home
1997
30
‘
Directed by
Will Grove-White
.
After the closure of the North Wales psychiatric hospital in the late 1980s, Sparrow Harrison opened his family home to local people suffering from mental illness. This film explores the humour,
British-Irish Isles
Health / Health care / Healing
Alternative culture
Call for Grace
2000
30
‘
Student
Directed by
Laetitia Merli
.
During Mongolia’s seventy years of domination by the Soviet Union, shamanism, like many aspects of Mongolian tradition, was forbidden by the Communist authorities, and went into decline. Since the
Central Asia and Far East
Shamans and Shamanism
Post-communism
Caught in a Magic Place
2007
28
‘
Directed by
Niccolo Patriarca
.
A story of sandwiches and generations, ambitions and regrets from the heart of the Italian kitchen.
Western Mediterranean
Food
Intergenerational relations
Labour
Changes
2010
30
‘
Directed by
Afua Asare-Nyako
.
Kwabena wants to move back to Ghana, the country he left more than 30 years ago. This film shows one of the many journeys that he has to take in preparation for his return. It explores the motives
West Africa
Western Europe
Migration
Cinema Pedregal
1994
27
‘
Directed by
Ricardo Leizaola
.
For forty years Alejandro Farfán has been making and showing films in El Pedregal. Now located in the heart of Caracas, this community was a small village when Alejandro first went to the cinema.
Central America
Popular Culture
Urban
Film / Photography / Mass media
Memory
Counterpoint One
2011
37
‘
Directed by
Richard Werbner
.
The first in the Forum Follies series, ‘Counterpoint One’ pitches the ethnographic filmmaker Richard Werbner into debate with audiences for his film ‘Holy Hustlers’ (2009), from a rough to a final
British-Irish Isles
Reflexivity
Cultivating Death
2003
23
‘
Directed by
Martin Gruber
.
Cemeteries are not only places for the dead. They are also spaces in which the living interact with each other – and with the dead. “Cultivating Death” depicts the different ways in which
British-Irish Isles
Death
Ritual
The Daring Young Girl on the Flying Trapeze
2020
27
‘
Directed by
Nina Ross
.
As a child, Nancy Willis dreamt of joining the circus, longing for freedom and adventure. Diagnosed with muscular dystrophy and told she would not live beyond her twenties, the now 65-year-old artist
British-Irish Isles
Art/ Artists/ Artisans
Personal Narrative
Health/ Health care/ Healing
Life Story/ Life History
Domov
2000
28
‘
Directed by
Rosie Read
.
This film looks at the meaning of ‘home’ in the Czech Republic through the eyes of two women – one an old woman trying to assert her right to return home from an old person’s residence, and the
Central Europe
Prison
Elderly people
A Donation to the Museum
2015
25
‘
Directed by
Teri F. Brewer
.
Human remains from the California Channel Islands were donated to an English city museum nearly a century ago. More recently research began into how they came to be there, and whose remains they
North America
Western Europe
Archaeology
Archival material / Museum displays
The Dream of Maelen
2003
25
‘
Directed by
Eirik Sandberg
.
Arne Bakke Mælen lives alone on the small family farm he inherited on the edge of a fjord. The farm is no longer viable economically and, like many small farmers in Norway, he has not found a woman
Scandinavia
Art / Artists / Artisans
Rural
Agriculture / Farming
Dreamland
2001
30
‘
Directed by
Gema Juárez-Allen
.
This film explores the dreams and frustrations of camp squatters in Rio de Janeiro State, as, supported by the MST (Landless People’s Movement), they wait for permission to settle on unused land close by.
South America
Squatter Settlements / Homelessness
Land Rights
Drive it, Crash it, Paint it
2002
26
‘
Directed by
James Bolchover
.
Kelzo grew up in Hulme and has been writing on walls, wrecked cars and other urban surfaces since 1984. But now that he is a ‘graffiti artist’ whose work is sold in galleries, is he still in touch with his roots?
British-Irish Isles
Personal Narrative
Alternative culture
Art / Artists / Artisans
Duminea: A Festival for the Water Spirits
1966
20
‘
Directed by
Frank Speed
Robin Horton
.
The communal rituals of most villages of the Eastern Niger Delta focus on two great classes of spirits – the heroes and the water people. The heroes once lived with the men, founded their
West Africa
Ritual
Possession
Earning a Crust
2009
28
‘
Directed by
Elisa Contreras
.
Through their experiences, Uncle Isidro (a horse dealer) and Jeremo (a scrap collector) illustrate traditional gypsy occupations in the south of Spain, as well as the obstacles facing their
Western Mediterranean
Travellers / Roma
Labour
Easy Life
1996
30
‘
Directed by
Amelia Hann
.
This film is about a Breton woman and her family, their vision of life, and their clash with the French state which marked them as ‘terrorists’.
Western Europe
Political Activists
Law and Legislation / Bureaucracy
Eco trip
1997
30
‘
Directed by
Rachel Robertson
.
A group of eco-activists travel around Britain attending festivals and other events aimed at raising awareness of ecological issues and of new, alternative ways of living. But sometimes relationships
British-Irish Isles
Alternative culture
Environment
Endgames
2008
32
‘
Directed by
Ilinca Calugareanu
.
The film follows a day in the life of Cluj-Napoca, a city in Transylvania, focusing on the way the lives of the three main characters – Valer, an 85 year old retired colonel, Daria, an 89 year old
South-East Europe
Post-communism
Elderly people
Memory
Extended Family
2016
31
‘
Student
Directed by
Ramona Sonderegger
.
This films offers an intimate insight into the lives of two same-sex families who found a way to create themselves within a legal grey area in Switzerland. Swiss law bans adoption and access to
Western Europe
LGBTQI*
Family / Kinship
Sex / Sexuality
Law and Legislation / Bureaucracy
Faces Voices
2018
18
‘
Directed by
Paul Basu
Christopher Thomas Allen
.
The film complicates any simple reading of a colonial photographic archive from Southern Nigeria and Sierra Leone that was collected between 1909 and 1915. Through a collaborative creative effort
West Africa
British-Irish Isles
Archival material / Museum displays
Colonialism / Postcolonialism
Race / Racism / Antiracism
Faith
2010
30
‘
Directed by
Insa Langhorst
.
Together with a Pentecostal youth group, teenagers Colin and Salo are on a mission trip to East Germany preaching the word of God. On the streets of Wismar they experience the highs and lows of what
Western Europe
Children / Young people
Religion / Belief / Faith
Fighting for Control
1998
30
‘
Directed by
Alexia Coppe
.
An unconventional household of two women and five children in South London, attempting to leave a difficult past behind, and build a happy future.
British-Irish Isles
Family / Kinship
Fish Have Feelings Too
2001
23
‘
Directed by
Tom Rice
.
For Jack and Stan, two men from Manchester, koi carp have become something more than an obsession. Not only have their pets become a source of fame and distinction, but of affection and mutually
British-Irish Isles
Animals
For The Love of the Game
2010
24
‘
Directed by
Birgitta H. Anttila
.
Hurling is a game combining skill, speed and strength. Players – even at the highest levels – are amateurs, but still spend hours on training. Through the encounter with hurler Shane Dooley, we learn
British-Irish Isles
Sport
Fragments from the Past
2006
27
‘
Directed by
Vedide Kaymak
Hakan Demiralay
.
In the days before DVD and satellite television, the cinema was important to London’s Turkish speaking population as a place to meet and as a link with home. Eight individuals recount their
British-Irish Isles
Popular Culture
Migration
Film / Photography / Mass media
Fresh Fields
1995
31
‘
Directed by
Alistair Cook
.
From conflict to construction — this is the story of two disabled ex-fighters rebuilding their lives. What does the future hold for them in Eritrea, the homeland to which they are committed?
North and Northeast Africa
Health / Health care / Healing
War / Conflict / Reconciliation
Development projects
The Gaijin
2008
24
‘
Directed by
Chris Christodoulou
.
‘The Gaijin’ tells the story of an individual negotiating his identity in a foreign country. It follows Luke Jonathan Driscoll, an American who has been residing in Japan for nearly 3 years and
Central Asia and Far East
Migration
Garden Days: Village in Papua New Guinea
1988
25
‘
Directed by
Ariane Lewis
Jon Jerstad
.
A detailed account of domestic life in the Sepik area of Papua New Guinea, mainly from the women’s point of view. It describes their everyday activities in the ‘gardens’ in order to produce
Melanesia
Agriculture / Farming
Children / Young people
Ritual
Gelede: A Yoruba Masquerade
1970
30
‘
Directed by
Frank Speed
Peggy Harper
.
Among the Yoruba of Western Nigeria and Dahomey the Gelede cult honours the earth spirits, the ancestors and especially the Great Mother. The festival filmed here emphasises the status of women and
West Africa
Gender Role and Identity
Ritual
Festivals / Carnival
Social Conflict
Going Back Home
1992
35
‘
Directed by
Catarina Alves-Costa
.
For those who live in the city, each and every summer is about going back to Arga, the village in Northern Portugal, which they left to find work. For the few who have stayed, their return brings
Western Mediterranean
Migration
Memory
The Guest
2012
20
‘
Student
Directed by
Kira de Hemmer Jeppesen
.
Following the personal story of a Danish first-time surrogate mother, ‘The Guest’ explores issues of maternal bonding, modern families, relatedness, and desired control over body and mind. We follow
Scandinavia
LGBTQI*
Sex / Sexuality
Reproduction (biology)
Family / Kinship
Guiyang Beautiful Flavour Barbecue
2000
30
‘
Directed by
Richard Hughes
.
In the teeming cities of the most populated country on earth, 20 years of economic reform have brought new opportunity, new energy, and new dangers. This film follows one family’s efforts to navigate
South-East Asia
Food
Social Change
Labour
Gula – Music for a sacred time
2020
15
‘
Directed by
Remigiusz Sowa
.
Introduces the rich and varied Hindu-Buddhist religious and ritual musical heritage of the ancient royal city of Bhaktapur (Nepal).
South Asia
Music / Ethnomusicology
Gule Wamkulu: The Great Dance
1991
37
‘
Directed by
Charles Namondwe
.
Performed by the Chewa secret societies, Gule Wamkulu is a form of masked dance which takes place at male initiation ceremonies, funerals, and other major celebrations. Acting as a medium between the
Southern Africa
Dance / Theatre / Performance
Ritual
Harpoons and Heartache
1998
28
‘
Directed by
Bessie Morris
.
Bessie Morris, a Greek-American, portrays the romantic relationships between Greek men and women tourists. She explores the story of Vassilis, a young male bartender in the tourist town of Hania, Crete.
South-East Europe
Tourism / Travel / Pilgrimage
Gender Role and Identity
Love
The Head Cornerstone
1992
37
‘
Directed by
Ruth Hammill
.
Griffiths takes his responsibilities seriously and works very hard as a taxi driver in Negril, Jamaica, to support his family. His sense of obligation extends to his siblings, his ageing father and
Caribbean Islands
Squatter Settlements / Homelessness
Socioeconomic conditions
Healer on the Street
2003
28
‘
Directed by
Joceny Pinhheiro
.
During the day, Isnar is a community paramedic who works in the local clinic and runs an arts and drugs rehabilitation centre for young people in Fortaleza on the coast of Northeast Brazil. But by
South America
Health / Health care / Healing
Ritual
Herat Films: The City of Herat
1983
21
‘
Directed by
John Baily
.
These videos were edited from seven hours of Super 8 film shot by John Baily during two years of ethnomusicological fieldwork carried out in the Herat region of western Afghanistan between 1973 and
Middle and Near East
Urban
Trade
Herat Films: The Shrines of Herat
1983
30
‘
Directed by
John Baily
.
These videos were edited from seven hours of Super 8 film shot by John Baily during two years of ethnomusicological fieldwork carried out in the Herat region of western Afghanistan between 1973 and
Middle and Near East
Religion / Belief / Faith
Urban
Hillside Beauties
2008
25
‘
Directed by
Julia Kurc
.
In a violent, marginalized and discriminated environment such as the favelas in Rio de Janeiro, women create a time and a space to construct their identities and their beauty. Marcella, Thuany and
South America
Gender Role and Identity
Socioeconomic conditions
Holding the Tradition
1998
28
‘
Directed by
Matthew Fassnidge
.
The annual regatta on the island of Malta has been passionately contested for over 200 years by a number of local rowing clubs. Marsamxett has been dismissed by the others as being a club for ‘old
Western Mediterranean
Sport
Hope, Despair and Laughter: A circus project in Palestine
2007
27
‘
Directed by
Ester Hertog
.
Filmed in Dheisheh refugee camp in the West bank, this film is about a circus summer-camp dedicated to bring laughter and hope for Palestinian children. Children are taught all sorts of activities
Middle and Near East
Development projects
Dance / Theatre / Performance
Children / Young people
Horror in the Andes
2019
33
‘
Special Interest
Directed by
Martha-Cecilia Dietrich
.
Horror in the Andes is a behind-the-scenes documentary that follows the process of making a horror movie in Ayacucho, Peru. Directed by audio-visual anthropologist Martha-Cecilia Dietrich, it
South America
Art / Artists / Artisans
Dance / Theatre / Performance
Ethnofiction
Film / Photography / Mass media
Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples
Hulme Homes for Hulme People
1992
23
‘
Directed by
Aunund Austena
.
Summer ’92 and Hulme, a densely populated and culturally diverse area of inner city Manchester, is being demolished for the second time in 30 years, this time in consultation with local residents and
British-Irish Isles
Urban
Ian Gleadell: A Falkland Farmer
1987
34
‘
Directed by
Bob Edwards
Alastair Kenneil
.
The 1982 war between Britain and Argentina brought the Falkland or Malwinas Islands into the news headlines. This film is less spectacular: It shows the way of life of one inhabitant of this
South America
Animals
Agriculture / Farming
In the Light of Memory
2010
40
‘
Directed by
Alyssa Grossman
.
‘In the Light of Memory’ explores evocations of memory in contemporary post-socialist Bucharest, nearly twenty years after the fall of Romanian communism. The film is shot in Cismigiu Gardens, one of
South-East Europe
Memory
Post-communism
In Our Blood
2003
26
‘
Directed by
Steve Vella
.
In Malta, devotion to the Virgin Mary is very fervent, particularly in the village of Naxxar, where the most important annual feast, taking place over several days, is dedicated to her honour. But
Western Mediterranean
Religion / Belief / Faith
Ritual
In Pursuit of Happiness
2009
31
‘
Directed by
Ray Ono
.
Tokyo life as rarely seen on mainstream media. This short film takes you to the lives of men who live on the outskirts of the city and of Japanese society.
Central Asia and Far East
Alternative culture
Urban
Squatter Settlements / Homelessness
In Search of Home
2000
30
‘
Directed by
Julie Moggan
.
The Shabani family have been living in Manchester as refugees and are homesick for Kosovo. Feeling increasingly unwelcome in Britain, they return home to confront the nightmares of their recent past,
South-East Europe
Refugees / Displaced populations
Children / Young people
War / Conflict / Reconciliation
In a State of Dress
2010
21
‘
Directed by
Madelief de Heer
.
Filmed in Walcheren, a region in the south-west of the Netherlands, this film tells of the lived experience of wearing regional dress. Once worn by the whole community, today this complex attire is
Western Europe
Material Culture
Elderly people
Intergenerational relations
The Internet Bride
2004
29
‘
Directed by
Ellie Ford
.
Cali in Colombia is celebrated for salsa music and beautiful women and is also the base of the Internet Bride agency, ‘Latin Best’ with 900 women on its files. Accompanying the British and American
South America
Marriage
Internet
Into the Field
2005
28
‘
Directed by
Alyssa Grossman
.
‘Into the Field’ follows the everyday “secular” lives of nuns in a Orthodox nunnery in Romania. Documenting the nuns’ activities, relationships and roles within their community, the film also
South-East Europe
Religion / Belief / Faith
Animation
IntranQu’îllités
2019
20
‘
Directed by
Edward Owles
.
Lyrically narrated by award-winning Haitian poet James Noël, the short film interweaves the work of several Haitian artists who want to redefine how their nation is perceived. The film explores the
Caribbean Islands
Art/ Artists/ Artisans
Nationalism
Social Organisation
John the Eel Trapper
1982
28
‘
Directed by
Toni de Bromhead
.
The fens of East Anglia provide the scenery for this documentary. At the centre of the film is John, a solitary character, who makes his living by trapping eels in the numerous canals of the area.
British-Irish Isles
Animals
Hunting / Gathering / Fishing
Join Me in Shambala
2001
30
‘
Directed by
Anya Bernstein
.
Once brutally persecuted under the Soviet regime, Buddhism is re-emerging in Siberia. But with a past where Lamas were killed in prisons and temples burnt to the ground, there are few masters left to
Central Asia and Far East
Religion / Belief / Faith
Post-communism
Jungle Cat
2000
29
‘
Directed by
Natalie Schädler
.
In search of the righteous way of living, the Liberian rapper CyLover, aka as ‘Jungle Cat’ wants to make music for his people. Now based in Ghana, the big chance to finish his first album approaches
West Africa
Music / Ethnomusicology
Kwagh Hir
1975
30
‘
Directed by
Frank Speed
Peggy Harper
.
Four million Tiv people form the major culture of the Benue state of southern Nigeria. They are popularly known as the greatest democrats in Africa as their society is based on fraternal cooperation
West Africa
Festivals / Carnival
Dance / Theatre / Performance
Ritual
The Land on which We Stand
2007
31
‘
Directed by
Becky Payne
.
This film is a glimpse into the life of the Landmatters Co-operative, a community of 11 adults and 4 children living in benders and yurts in rural Devon as they develop a permaculture project. The 42
British-Irish Isles
Rural
Alternative culture
Lessons from the Tiger
2010
22
‘
Directed by
Ife Olatunji
.
A brief glimpse into the Foundation Fior Di Loto girls’ school, this film explores the competing ideas of traditional and contemporary womanhood in Rajasthan, India. Four girls introduce us to the
South Asia
Gender Role and Identity
Children / Young people
Education / Knowledge Transmission
Letters from Palestine
2011
35
‘
Directed by
Ludovica Fales
.
What if in your great-grandfather’s letters there is a mystery your family doesn’t want to talk about? In 1920 Angelo Levi Bianchini set out to Palestine on an Italian diplomatic mission and never
Western Mediterranean
Middle and Near East
War / Conflict / Reconciliation
Memory
History
Leyssart
2007
30
‘
Directed by
Alexander Hirl
.
Living among 8,000 animals in the South of France, Thérèse and Dominique live their passion as herders and breeders. Their philosophy of life makes us reflect on the nature of relationships between
Western Europe
Animals
Herding
Family / Kinship
Life as We Know it
1995
25
‘
Directed by
Alex Reed
.
"It was Star Trek that brought us together". John and Pauline are to be wed beyond the Final Frontier at a Star Trek convention in Manchester. Among the guests are Klingons and Hollywood stars.
British-Irish Isles
Popular Culture
Marriage
Lifelibrary
2007
22
‘
Directed by
Amanda Hill
.
Library spacescape. quiet, history, dreams, wisdom, structure, anomaly, affection, preservation, creation, galaxies, distraction and contemplation. An exploration of a changing world withinwithout
British-Irish Isles
Education / Knowledge transmission
Archival material / Museum displays
A Little Bit of Freedom
1998
34
‘
Directed by
Laura Kirk
.
This film is set in a traditional household in Nepal and documents a servant girl, Nani; a married woman, Sarita; and a mother-in-law, Ama. In interesting mixture of entrapment, duty and tradition unfold.
South Asia
Gender Role and Identity
Intergenerational relations
Marriage
Living Through Things
2005
32
‘
Directed by
Anna Waddell
.
Kristin, Mark and Bob collect things. The film explores attachment, possession and the way that objects inhabit their lives.
British-Irish Isles
Material Culture
Looking for the Man Of Aran
1999
25
‘
Directed by
Sebastian Eschenbach
.
It is 60 years since Robert Flaherty made Man of Aran. How do the people of the Aran Islands remember the experience and what do they feel about the image the films gives of their land?
British-Irish Isles
Film / Photography / Mass media
History of Anthropology
Made in Trenchtown
2010
33
‘
Directed by
Ester Maagdenberg
.
‘Made in Trenchtown’ is the product of a collaboration with three teenagers from Trenchtown – a ghetto in Kingston, Jamaica, controlled by drug lords. As Philomena, Diamond and Stephan hold the
Caribbean Islands
Children / Young people
Reflexivity
Making it Big in Berlin
2009
24
‘
Directed by
Claudia Goldberg
.
In Berlin, where low rents and space for creative ideas are still available, self-employed workers live the alternative to a nine-to-five-job. A sewing café owner, a freelance journalist and two
Western Europe
Alternative culture
Art / Artists / Artisans
Masks of Mer
2010
37
‘
Directed by
Michael Eaton
.
The film Alfred Haddon made in 1898 in the Torres Straits, lasting for less than a minute, is the world’s first example of anthropological cinema. ‘The Masks of Mer’ tells the extraordinary story of
Australia
History of Anthropology
Film / Photography / Mass media
Archival material / Museum displays
Ritual
Men at Work
2010
32
‘
Directed by
Christine Moderbacher
.
"Men at Work" depicts the daily working life of one of the few remaining institutions in Austria that still employs only men. They are responsible for a 39 km stretch of Austria’s biggest
Central Europe
Gender Role and Identity
Labour
Men of Words
2009
22
‘
Directed by
Johanne Haaber Ihle
.
The film explores how ancient traditions of poetry are still used in contemporary Yemen to discuss social and political problems.
Middle and Near East
Art / Artists / Artisans
Socioeconomic conditions
Message from a Saint
2003
27
‘
Directed by
Andrew Tucker
.
During the celebration of the Feast of San Juan Bautista in the village of Chuao, on the Caribbean coast of Venezuela, an image of Jesus appeared on a drinks tray. The community is trying to find out
South America
Religion / Belief / Faith
Milking the Desert
2004
25
‘
Directed by
Yasmin Fedda
.
This film follows the lives and choices of two monks living at Mar Musa, the Abyssinian Monastery in the desert of Syria. Through their daily lives, the issue of dialogue with Islam emerges.
Middle and Near East
Inter-religious relations
Religion / Belief / Faith
The Most Admired Man
2002
29
‘
Directed by
Julia Berg
.
‘Wise’? ‘Serene’? ‘A Sage’? Mythologized as the Daoist physician from the Jade Dragon Mountain of Lijiang Province in southwest China , Dr Ho receives hundreds of visitors in search of the ‘Real
South-East Asia
Public Figure
Tourism / Travel / Pilgrimage
The Most Wasted of All Days
2003
24
‘
Directed by
Nick Kirkwood
.
A day without laughter is the most wasted of all days, according to veteran circus performer Jan Erik, a.k.a ‘Fips the Clown’. So when his back goes in the middle of the summer tour round Scotland,
British-Irish Isles
Dance / Theatre / Performance
Muktuk
1983
40
‘
Directed by
Graham Johnston
.
Shot on the mosquito-ridden shores of the Mackenzie Delta in Canada’s North-West territories, the film deals with the annual Beluga (white whale) hunt. Three families are followed who have
North America
Hunting / Gathering / Fishing
Animals
Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples
Education / Knowledge transmission
Native
2002
29
‘
Directed by
Rachel Greenwood
.
Through his clothing, a young South African fashion designer of mixed race urges freedom and unity in post-apartheid South Africa. His message is reaching not only his fellow South Africans, but also
Southern Africa
Collective / Community identity
Material Culture
New Images
1964
27
‘
Directed by
Ulli Beier
Frank Speed
.
The film is a brief description of life in a busy commercial centre that still depends upon and retains its ancient traditions. These are based on the history of the town which was founded on the
West Africa
Art / Artists / Artisans
Religion / Belief / Faith
Archival material / Museum displays
A New Kind of Life
1997
28
‘
Directed by
Emma Farrell
.
How is someone’s life affected when faced with cancer? This film is a portrait of three people from Manchester, England, who have chosen to include complementary therapies as part of their daily coping strategies.
British-Irish Isles
Health / Health care / Healing
Alternative culture
Oink!
2020
22
‘
Directed by
Rob Eagle
.
An experimental research documentary offering a portrait of gay men who‚ in different ways‚ relate to the “pig” sexual imaginary. It provides insight into their experiences of identity,
Western Europe
North America
Sex / Sexuality
LGBTQI*
Collective / Community identity
Only Thinking
2009
27
‘
Directed by
Gabriel Merrun
.
On the North African coast in Ceuta, illegal migrants wait and hope to eventually continue onto the Spanish peninsula where they can attain asylum. Whilst waiting there, they are caught bewteen the borders.
North and Northeast Africa
Migration
Out of Place
1993
38
‘
Directed by
Peter Lutz
.
The war in Bosnia in the early 1990s drove Nerma and Mavis from their homes. Having found refuge in Sweden, they learn to cope with a new situation.
Scandinavia
Refugees / Displaced populations
War / Conflict / Reconciliation
Part of Us
2009
27
‘
Directed by
Maria Meriwether
.
For the Ngarrindjeri people, the living and the dead are connected through shared land and heritage. The preservation of this connection is at the heart of the community’s effort to repatriate the
Australia
Death
Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples
Pepe
2004
23
‘
Directed by
Juana Schlenker
.
Pepe is a Spanish immigrant who came to England more than forty years ago to work as a waiter. After working in several restaurants and hotels, he retired two years ago and now he fills his days with
British-Irish Isles
Migration
Elderly people
Pepsi War
1992
30
‘
Directed by
Charlie Clay
.
The post-colonial period in Papua New Guinea has seen resurgence in tribal warfare. Pepsi War follows the story of a fight between two clans, which developed from a dispute over cola bottles.
Melanesia
War / Conflict / Reconciliation
Colonialism / Postcolonialism
Pushy Women
2001
23
‘
Directed by
Caro MacDonald
.
The modern Japanese woman has the world at her feet: she can pursue any career, wear whatever she likes, and spend her leisure time however she likes – even playing sumo. This film follows five young
Central Asia and Far East
Gender Role and Identity
Sport
The Ragged Ones
2002
30
‘
Directed by
David Griggs
.
The Basotho live in Lesotho, a kingdom of high mountains surrounded by South Africa. Afflicted by famine, poverty and AIDS, they carry on making a science out of their witchcraft beliefs.
Southern Africa
Religion / Belief / Faith
Socioeconomic conditions
Raised by Humans
2010
25
‘
Directed by
Karlia Campbell
.
‘Raised by Humans’ follows two dogs with difficult life histories as volunteers from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals try to find families to adopt them in Stockport,
British-Irish Isles
Animals
Development projects
Raju and His Friends
1988
40
‘
Directed by
Marcus Banks
.
This film is set in the city of Jamnagar, western India. The film focuses on the emotions, quality of life, and on duty. Raju’s friendship with different people, including the director, provide a
South Asia
Urban
Informant-researcher relationship
Life Story / Life History
Ravi and Bhajay
2002
26
‘
Directed by
Rachel Webster
.
Street boys Ravi and Bhajay lead a tough life on the pavements of Mumbai in India. To get away from it, they visit the nearby holy city of Ujjain with the film-maker. But the call of life on the streets is still strong.
South Asia
Children / Young people
Squatter Settlements / Homelessness
Urban
Read Me
2008
29
‘
Directed by
Janina Kriszio
.
Reading traditionally played an important role for German (self-)identification. In 2000 an international survey revealed that German pupils are lacking basic reading skills, giving rise to
Western Europe
Education / Knowledge transmission
Reclaiming the Forest
1987
39
‘
Directed by
Paul Henley
Georges Drion
.
National governments, itinerant gold-miners, and indigenous inhabitants compete for control of an area of the South American rainforest. The film shows the potential conflict between the interests
South America
Land Rights
Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples
Social Change
Social Conflict
Return of the Nightingales
2013
33
‘
Directed by
John Baily
.
In 2010 Afghan musicologist Dr. Ahmad Sarmast opened the Afghanistan National Institute of Music (ANIM), a coeducational vocational music school in Kabul that teaches Afghan, Indian and Western
South Asia
Music / Ethnomusicology
Education / Knowledge Transmission
Children / Young people
Rock ‘n’ Pray
2001
24
‘
Directed by
Fotini Stefani
.
The monks from the monastery of Saints Augustine and Serapheim Sarow on mainland Greece have found modern ways to appeal to young people. The film explores how their traditional life co-exists with
South-East Europe
Religion / Belief / Faith
Intergenerational relations
Round Trip
1999
36
‘
Directed by
Angela Torresan
.
Portrait of a Brazilian woman and her friends, now living in Lisbon, exploring the basis of their sense of identity in the context of a transnational way of life.
Western Mediterranean
Collective / Community identity
Migration
A Saint from New York
1995
30
‘
Directed by
Line Hatland
.
Dorothy Day, ex-communist, anarchist, single mother and co-founder of the widespread ‘Catholic Worker’ movement — died in New York in 1980. Soon after the Claretian Fathers started a campaign
North America
Alternative culture
Religion / Belief / Faith
Saliendo Adelante
2011
28
‘
Directed by
Ben Cheetham
.
Growing up on the streets of Bogotá, where drugs and violence dominate, it seemed as though José might never escape this cycle. It is the job of Orlando and those at the Institution for the
South America
Children / Young people
Socioeconomic conditions
Development projects
Scenes of Resistance
2000
30
‘
Directed by
Alejandra Navarro Smith
.
A series of portraits of life in a Zapatista indigenous community in Chiapas, Southern Mexico. This film invites us into the people’s everyday lives, and presents their own views of the fight against
Central America
Resistance
Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples
The Second Red Line
2004
25
‘
Directed by
Veera Lehto
.
In HIV testing, the second red line is the indication of a positive result. This film follows two volunteers working with HIV & Aids sufferers in the Buduburam Refugee Camp in Ghana. In the
South-East Asia
Health / Health care / Healing
Development projects
Self Defence
2002
28
‘
Directed by
María Elena Planas
.
With the Shining Path guerilla movement in decline, the government in Peru set up a Commission for Peace and Reconciliation to hear the testimonies of those who had suffered in the war. Framed by the
South America
War / Conflict / Reconciliation
Memory
Shonar Bangla
2009
28
‘
Directed by
Sara Asadullah
.
Four scenes from a Bangladeshi community in London. Each scene is an encounter with a different generation (children, teenagers and adults) until the final scene where all generations are brought together in a wedding.
British-Irish Isles
Intergenerational relations
Marriage
Shooting Freetown
2011
29
‘
Directed by
Kieran Hanson
.
A decade since Sierra Leone’s devastating civil war, from the ashes rises a new dawn of creativity in audio-visual media. Inspired by Jean Rouch’s ‘shared anthropology’ and ‘ethno-fiction’,
West Africa
Film / Photography / Mass media
War / Conflict / Reconciliation
Reflexivity
The Shrimpers
2008
30
‘
Directed by
Austin Paterek
.
For the past 10 years the shrimping industry in United States has been on a steady decline. Estimates show that only 15 percent of the original fleet is still in operation, due to overseas
North America
Hunting / Gathering / Fishing
Trade
Sin tierra, no somos Shuar
2009
23
‘
Directed by
Stacey Williams
.
Shuar traditions and land are intimately tied to another. This film explores how the traditions and relationships change when foreign mining companies enter their territory.
South America
Land Rights
Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples
Social Conflict
A Small Light
2004
32
‘
Directed by
Julia Yezbick
.
Through following the daily life of a home for the elderly in Kathmandhu, Nepal, run by Catholic nuns but situated beside the cremation ghats of Pashupathinath Hindu temple, this film explores
South Asia
Death
Inter-religious relations
Religion / Belief / Faith
Elderly people
Small Man of the Forest
2004
37
‘
Directed by
Hugh Hartford
.
Murray Collins leaves his city life in search of a bipedal ape. On his journey to highland Sumatra, he meets an academic, three farmers, two conservationists and a shaman, all of whom advise him on
South-East Asia
Animals
Smell the Roses
2003
28
‘
Directed by
Julie Milling
.
Christiania is a self-governing community in the heart of Copenhagen set up by squatters at the height of 1970s idealism. Faced with extinction or urban redevelopment, residents struggle to redefine a fading ideology.
Scandinavia
Alternative culture
Urban
Smoke
1991
28
‘
RAI Basil Wright
Directed by
Maarten Rens
.
The film deals with fish smoking in Monnickendam, a small town twelve miles north of Amsterdam. Using archival footage, interviewing old fishermen, and contrasting the traditional and the modern
Western Europe
Hunting / Gathering / Fishing
Food
Archival material / Museum displays
Sons of the Moon
1984
25
‘
Directed by
Frank Speed
Deirdre LaPin
.
In isolated mountain hamlets in Nigeria’s Jos Plateau the Ngas have traditionally observed the movements of the moon in the night sky. The moon is a key symbol in Ngas cosmology, believed to
West Africa
Religion / Belief / Faith
Music / Ethnomusicology
Everyday Life
Ritual
Sophia and Her People
1985
35
‘
Directed by
Peter Loïzos
.
Sofia and her family lost their village home in 1975 when Turkey invaded Cyprus. The film, mainly set in Nicosia in 1983, shows the pressures of refugee economic recovery through shift work in a
South-East Europe
Refugees / Displaced populations
Social Change
Family / Kinship
Southeast London Ethnography – Three Student Films: Anglesea Road; The Good Ol’ Days; Talk of Trade
2007
13
‘
Directed by
Elhum Shakerifar
Ed Owles
Jamie Taylor
.
These 3 films on Southeast London were made by GCC college students who took a course in anthropology & film. ANGLESEA ROAD: Situated in Woolwich, South East London, Anglesea Road is a small
British-Irish Isles
Urban
A Spark in Him
2008
28
‘
Directed by
Claudia Engels
.
‘A Spark in Him’ is a film about the life story of Sajay Kumar, a young man without arms who lives in a home for disabled children in Kerala, India, and studies at the College of Fine Arts. By
South Asia
Health / Health care / Healing
Children / Young people
Education / Knowledge Transmission
Spirit
2019
19
‘
Directed by
Jane Dyson
Ross Harrison
.
Saraswati is a new arrival in an Indian Himalayan village. She wonders how she will ever feel at home in the new setting. “Spirit” by Jane Dyson and Ross Harrison is a story of longing and
Central Asia and Far East
Gender Role and identity
Agriculture/ Farming
Everyday Life
Family/ Kinship
Staging a Return
1994
30
‘
Directed by
Jakob Hogel
.
The Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic are a Danish dependency and for generations, young people have gone to Denmark to complete their studies. When they return for the summer, there is a tradition
Scandinavia
Dance / Theatre / Performance
Standing Places
2007
31
‘
Directed by
Ana Tovey
.
A model of Stonehenge has been built in rural New Zealand, functioning like the original not only in its astronomical alignment but also in its role as a ceremonial site. The film explores what
New Zealand and Polynesia
Alternative culture
Ritual
Still Life
2009
26
‘
Directed by
Siobhan McGuirk
.
“I am here because I can’t go home.” Subject to strict controls in the UK, three women asylum seekers wait for claims to be processed and decisions made. Here they find the lives which they
British-Irish Isles
Refugees / Displaced populations
Law and Legislation / Bureaucracy
Street Fiction
2002
32
‘
Directed by
Dominic Elliot
.
Through combining their own dramatic reconstructions and real life observation, this film tells the story of children who run away from their homes in search of a better life on the streets of Blantyre, Malawi.
Southern Africa
Urban
Squatter Settlements / Homelessness
Children / Young people
Ethnofiction
Suspend your Beliefs
2004
29
‘
Directed by
Simone Clifford-Jaeger
.
Suspension of the living body from hooks has been practiced in various cultural contexts and places in the past, but today forms part of a growing global interest in body modification. This film
British-Irish Isles
Alternative culture
The Sweet Life and All That Goes With It
2002
29
‘
Directed by
Anne Schiltz
.
Although the Saxons arrived in Transylvania, Romania over 800 years ago, they have retained a strong sense of their distinctive identity and still speak German. After the Revolution of 1989, most
South-East Europe
Collective / Community identity
Travellers / Roma
Swings and Roundabouts
1994
30
‘
Directed by
Helen Pratt
.
Five years after the downfall of Ceausescu and Romania still receives an influx of Western European aid workers to help with rural orphanage projects. Temporary and full-time volunteers at an
South-East Europe
Children / Young people
Squatter Settlements / Homelessness
Development projects
Tayuban: Dancing the Spirit in Java
1996
30
‘
Directed by
Felicia Hughes-Freeland
.
Once a year a ritual is held in a Javanese village. After a distribution of food, men dance with professional female dancers. Their allegedly sexual ethos makes these ‘tayuban’ unacceptable as
South-East Asia
Ritual
Dance / Theatre / Performance
Sex / Sexuality
Gender Role and Identity
The Temple in the Sea
2008
26
‘
Directed by
Theo Youngstein
.
‘The Temple in the Sea’ looks at ritual and religious practice at a well-known Hindu shrine and its associated cremation grounds in Central Trinidad. Documenting the daily life of the Temple, and
Caribbean Islands
Ritual
Tenonde’i – a Beautiful Future
2008
30
‘
Directed by
Nadja Marin
.
In a village inside the world’s fifth largest and tough city, São Paulo, a young Guaraní created a children’s choir to raise money for his community. Filled with beautiful sounds, the film is a
South America
Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples
Children / Young people
Thanks Be to God
2008
31
‘
Directed by
Patrícia Pedrosa
.
Four Christian women work and live in a Muslim and patriarchic world. The ‘Sisters of the Consolata Missionaries’ are building a new library in Empada, a small village in the south of
West Africa
Religion / Belief / Faith
They Say We’re All Winners
2002
32
‘
Directed by
Mari Finnestad
.
The Zimbabwean girls’ team comes to Norway to take part in the world’s largest kids’ football tournament. The film questions the outcome of this well-intentioned cultural exchange because some of the
Scandinavia
Tourism / Travel / Pilgrimage
Sport
Collective / Community identity
The Thompsons
1996
29
‘
Directed by
Andy Lawrence
.
In 1996 the troubles in Northern Ireland continued to the sound of beating drums and marching feet. This is the story of a Protestant family in rural Ulster and their fight to remain British and free from Irish rule.
British-Irish Isles
War / Conflict / Reconciliation
Those Who Don’t Work Don’t Make Love
1998
30
‘
Directed by
Cristina Grasseni
.
An observational documentary about dairy farmers in the Italian Alps. Caught between pride for tradition and the pressure for modernisation, the story of one family is told through the eyes of
Western Mediterranean
Agriculture / Farming
Social Change
Those who Care: Faith and Freedom in a Ladakhi Village
2001
31
‘
Directed by
Henriette Levaulx-Vrecourt
.
In Tia village, in an isolated area of Ladakh – North West India – lives an amchi (a local herbal doctor) and his wife. It is summer – a short season in the Indian Himalayas and the only period of
South Asia
Health / Health care / Healing
Archaeobotany / Ethnobotany
Tiempo de Vals
2006
22
‘
Directed by
Rebecca Savage
.
The ‘Quinceañera’ celebration is a lived illusion. A daydream shared by the whole community of Tetlanohcan, a rapidly urbanising agricultural town in Tlaxcala, Central Mexico. The dream is
Central America
Festivals / Carnival
Social Change
Tindaya Variations
2018
40
‘
Special Interest
Directed by
Isaac Marrero-Guillamon
.
The mountain of Tindaya (Fuerteventura, Canary Islands) is more than a mountain. It was a sacred site for the indigenous people of Fuerteventura; later, its rock was quarried and sold for ornamental
Western Mediterranean
Archival material / Museum displays
Art / Artists / Artisans
Environment
Material Culture
Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples
Archaeology
Treasured Moments
2016
33
‘
Student
Directed by
Ravi Hart Lloyd
.
This is the personal story of a boy who grew up mixed in every aspect of his life, his parents, where he was from, his race. The black kid who thought that he was white. The white kid who thought
Caribbean Islands
North America
Family / Kinship
Race / Racism / Antiracism
Collective / Community identity
Film / Photography / Mass media
Two Ears, One Mouth
1999
25
‘
Directed by
Andy Benfield
.
Duncan Williamson is of Traveller descent and lives in Scotland, Amy Douglas is fifty years younger and lives in Cheshire. But they share a love for telling stories and both manage to make a living
British-Irish Isles
Travellers / Roma
Art / Artists / Artisans
Unravel
2012
14
‘
Directed by
Meghna Gupta
.
‘Unravel’ follows the Western worlds least wanted clothes, on a journey across Northern India, from sea to industrial interior. They get sent to Panipat, a sleepy town and the only place in the world
South Asia
Labour
Material Culture
Collective / Community identity
Untouched Rock
2008
28
‘
Directed by
James Vybiral
.
‘Untouched Rock’ follows a British climbing expedition to Greenland where six young men hope to establish new routes on the mountains of ‘the un-named valley’.
North America
Children / Young people
Sport
Usch in the Bush
2001
32
‘
Directed by
Michaela Schäuble
.
In the 1980s Ursula Heimer leaves behind her husband and children in Germany and goes to live in the African bush. We meet her seventeen years later in a tiny village in Togo, where she has been
West Africa
Personal Narrative
Alternative culture
Vaud and the Villains
2010
30
‘
Directed by
Lukas Belkind
.
Three members of an 18-piece, 1930s style, American folk big band explore their personal relationships with Los Angeles, performing, the music they love, and the band that binds them all together.
North America
Dance / Theatre / Performance
Music / Ethnomusicology
Vendemos Recuerdos
2009
25
‘
Directed by
Carolina Corral Paredes
.
Carlos is an enthusiastic tour guide and Doña Rosa is an indigenous old woman that sells crafts in the market. Both of their life’s works are an effort to provide what inquisitive tourists might
Central America
Tourism / Travel / Pilgrimage
Trade
Views from Heavenly Lake
2010
26
‘
Directed by
Polly Vinken
.
Since the beginning of the Mao era in 1949, populations that were once nomadic, isolated by miles of desert and mountains across the Tian Shan ranges, are now becoming highly sought after objects of
Central Asia and Far East
Tourism / Travel / Pilgrimage
Social Change
Vivir la Chicha
2003
28
‘
Directed by
Sharis Coppens
.
Chicha music evokes the experiences of the many Peruvians who migrate from the high Andes down to the cities. This film tells the story of Aurora Ramos, a cobbler and market saleswoman, and the role
South America
Music / Ethnomusicology
Trade
Migration
We Are Born to Survive
1995
30
‘
Directed by
Paul Henley
Paul Okojie
.
A political biography of the activist Kath Locke, from Manchester’s Moss Side, based on an interview conducted by her political comrade Paul Okojie shortly before her death in 1992, aged 64.
British-Irish Isles
Political Activists
Race / Racism / Antiracism
Public Figure
Women of a Divided Land
1997
22
‘
Directed by
Joanna Hill
.
This film follows the activities of Israeli and Palestinian women peace activists in Jerusalem and the West Bank, portraying both the collective and individual experiences of resistance.
Middle and Near East
Resistance
Political Activists
Religion / Belief / Faith
Worldwide, Streetwise
2003
32
‘
Directed by
Naomi Richards
.
A film that explores issues of faith and activism at a radical church in an ethnically and religiously diverse area of Leeds.
British-Irish Isles
Religion / Belief / Faith
Urban
Political Activists
Writing Panare – Portrait of a Linguist on Fieldwork
1996
30
‘
Directed by
Paul Henley
.
Marie-Claude Muller is a linguist who has worked for many years with the Panare, an Amerindian people of Venezuelan Amazonia. She has now been commissioned by the government literacy programme to
South America
Linguistics / Language
Education / Knowledge Transmission
You Can’t Live With Your Mouth Shut
1999
29
‘
Directed by
João Nicolau
.
Cape Verde is an archipelago situated 500km off the West Coast of Africa. On the island of Santiago lives Mano Mendi, the last player of cimboa, a one-string violin used to accompany the traditional
West Africa
Music / Ethnomusicology
Yukaghir Stories
1997
30
‘
Directed by
Rane Willerslev
.
The Yukhagirs are one of the small indigenous peoples of Northern Siberia. This film, shot in the village of Nelemnoye, explores what it means to be a Yukhagir.
Central Asia and Far East
Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples
Collective / Community identity
[S+P2]
2010
30
‘
Directed by
Yasmin Samir-Shakir
.
Following various members of The Forest Collective in the run-up to the ‘DIY’ arts space’s Tenth Birthday celebrations, we observe some of the internal and external struggles faced by this
British-Irish Isles
Alternative culture
Collective / Community identity