Films - RAI FILM

RAI FILM

Film list

[daba-portrait-of-a-na-shaman--Film-image]

Daba – Portrait of a Na Shaman 1999 40‘

Directed by Hua Cai .

After more than a quarter of a century without any form of religious ceremony, the Na, an ethnic group living on the Himalayan plateau, began openly practising their religion again in the early

South-East Asia Education / Knowledge transmission Religion / Belief / Faith Shamans and Shamanism

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Spear and Sword: a Payment of Bridewealth on the Island of Roti 1988 22‘

Directed by James J. Fox Timothy Asch Patsy Asch .

The film begins as the groom’s side gathers the animals and money for a bridewealth payment, and discusses problems that might arise in negotiating the exchange. In ritual silence, they walk to the

South-East Asia Ritual Marriage Family / Kinship

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The Water of Words: a cultural ecology of a small island in Eastern Indonesia 1983 30‘

Directed by J. Fox Timothy Asch Patsy Asch .

This film examines the ecology and poetry of everyday life. Two Rotinese narrate this film, each offering his perception of the importance of the Lontar (Borassus) palm: a clan leader describes the

South-East Asia Archaeobotany / Ethnobotany Linguistics / Language Environment

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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

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In the Play of Life: a wayang performance in East Java 1992 25‘

Directed by Patsy Asch .

These companion films examine the philosophy and ritual practices of the followers of a holy man popularly known as Embah Wali. The movement, centred in Blitar, East Java, regards wayang as a model

South-East Asia Ritual Religion / Belief / Faith Dance / Theatre / Performance

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Jero Tapakan: Stories from the life of a Balinese Healer 1983 26‘

Directed by Timothy Asch Linda Connor Patsy Asch .

Jero beings with an account of her family’s extreme poverty that culminated in her desire to leave her family and travel as a pedlar. She describes mystical experiences that led her to recognise

South-East Asia Health / Health care / Healing Socioeconomic conditions

[lady-of-the-lake--Film-image]

Lady of the Lake 2014 22‘

Directed by Zaw Naing Oo .

Governments – even decades-old military regimes – may come and go but, like many rural communities in Myanmar (formerly known as Burma), the lives of the villagers of Pyun Su on the banks of Moe

South-East Asia Religion / Belief / Faith Rural

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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

[ngarap-fighting-over-a-corpse--Film-image]

Ngarap: fighting over a corpse 1973 17‘

Directed by Anthony Forge .

In 1993, Anthony Forge filmed the cremation of an older woman from an affluent ‘commoner’ family. As her body was moved from her family compound to the cremation tower, men of the ward seized the

South-East Asia Death Ritual Art / Artists / Artisans Archival material / Museum displays

[guiyang-beautiful-flavour-barbecue--Film-image]

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

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Wild Honey: Caring for bees in a divided land 2019 30‘

Directed by Lisa Palmer .

For more than a century, the island of Timor has been divided by a colonial border. Timor’s migratory wild honey bees challenge this division. In community honey harvest rituals, queen bees are

South-East Asia Animals Food / Water Hunting / Gathering / Fishing

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Tyres 2013 30‘

Directed by Kyaw Myo Lwin .

A recycling workshop in South Okkalapa in Myanmar’s former capital of Yangon is a place where discarded tyres are transformed from their original shape and use, and are re-purposed to new uses.

South-East Asia Material Culture Labour Infrastructure / Transport

[tayuban-dancing-the-spirit-in-java--Film-image]

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

[without-fathers-or-husbands--Film-image]

Without Fathers or Husbands 1995 26‘

Directed by Hua Cai .

The Na are an ethnic group in south-east China. Their particularity is that all the members of each household are consanguineous relatives; their social organisation is absolutely matrilineal and as

South-East Asia Family / Kinship Collective / Community identity Gender Role and Identity Sex / Sexuality

[the-most-admired-man--Film-image]

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

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House No. 15 2018 7‘

Directed by Aryo Danusiri .

Jakarta, Indonesia. Monsoon season. Children are at play in their flooded house, located in the riverside area of Ciliwung, known for its informal housing settlements. What unfolds before the camera

South-East Asia Everyday Life Children/ Young people Sensory Ethnography

[the-medium-is-the-masseuse-a-balinese-massage--Film-image]

The Medium is the Masseuse: a Balinese Massage 1983 31‘

Directed by Timothy Asch Linda Connor Patsy Asch .

Jero uses massage and traditional medicines to treat Ida Bagus, who suffers from sterility and seizures. Through her treatment and her words, Jero reveals her conceptions of the human body, the

South-East Asia Health / Health care / Healing Reproduction (biology)

[jero-on-jero-a-balinese-trance-seance-observed--Film-image]

Jero on Jero: A Balinese Trance Séance Observed 1980 16‘

Directed by Timothy Asch Linda Connor Patsy Asch .

For the first time Jero sees herself on film as she watches ‘A Balinese Trance Séance’. Her spontaneous comments provide insights into her feelings while possessed, her understanding of her

South-East Asia Possession Reflexivity Health / Health care / Healing

[behind-the-screen--Film-image]

Behind the Screen 2012 35‘

Directed by Aung Nwai Htway .

A son dissects his parents’ marriage – they were film icons in 1960s Myanmar. It turns out the heartrending scenes they acted out on the silver screen are a pretty accurate reflection of their

South-East Asia Film / Photography / Mass media Family / Kinship Memory