Films

Film list

Masks of Mer 2010 37‘

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

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A Month in the Life of Ephtim D. 1999 56‘

Directed by Antonii Dontchev .

Ephtim D., 73 years old, is a retired postman. He lives in Sofia with his wife Ghinka in a three room suburban apartment. As a socialist he feels confused by the ‘crazy’ democracy and the

South-East Europe Health / Health care / Healing Post-communism Socioeconomic conditions

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Mongolia, part 1: On the Edge of the Gobi 1975 52‘

Directed by Brian Moser .

Mongolia is a country the size of Western Europe with under 1.5 million people but over 23 million head of livestock. This film concentrates on life in the great plains of Mongolia, at the foot of

Central Asia and Far East Herding Social Change Rural Everyday Life

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

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The Mystery of the Frozen Tombs: A Young Lady Emerges From the Ice 1994 44‘

Directed by Francoise Levie .

The film unfolds the archaeological discovery of the frozen tombs of Altai, part of the Scythian culture in the Siberian steppe.

Central Asia and Far East Archaeology

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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

Making Worlds Otherwise 2020 28‘

Directed by Paul Gurrumuruwuy Jennifer Deger Enid Guruŋulmiwuy Warren Balpatji Meredith Balanydjarrk James Ganambarr Kayleen Djingadjingawuy Victoria Baskin Coffey Sebastian Lowe .

An exuberant experiment in the ethnographic art of remix that gives new form to Miyarrka Media’s project of yuṯa, or new, anthropology. Sound, images, colour, light, and deeply felt patterns of

Australia Collective / Community identity Colonialism / Postcolonialism Internet Digital media Participatory / Collaborative methods

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Mabo: Life of an Island Man 1997 87‘

Directed by Trevor Graham .

On June 3rd 1992, six months after Eddie ‘Koiki’ Mabo’s tragic death, the High Court upheld his claim that Murray Islanders held native title to land in the Torres Strait. The legal fiction

Australia Public Figure Colonialism / Postcolonialism Life Story / Life History Political Activists Land Rights Law and Legislation / Bureaucracy

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

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Mongolia part 2: The City on the Steppes 1975 52‘

Directed by Brian Moser .

The second of two films on Mongolia made by Granada Television in 1974–75 looks at life in Ulan Bator, the capital of Mongolia and home of a quarter of the population. The city celebrates the 53rd

Central Asia and Far East Festivals / Carnival Urban Everyday Life

Matai Samoa 1989 65‘

Directed by George Milner .

The film is a valuable treatment of archival footage that George Milner shot while conducting fieldwork in 1955 and 1959. The footage (18 minutes of the total film) focuses on the traditional Samoan

New Zealand and Polynesia History of Anthropology Film / Photography / Mass media Social Organisation Archival material / Museum displays Ritual

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

The Migrants 1985 52‘

Directed by Leslie Woodhead David Wason .

The Migrants is the third film in the trilogy ‘In Search of Cool Ground’ for Granada Television’s Disappearing World series. It is about a drought-induced migration of Mursi from their traditional

North and Northeast Africa Social Change Collective / Community identity Refugees / Displaced populations

My Eyes as a Stranger 1984 53‘

Directed by Toni de Bromhead .

This film tells the story of the friendship between an English filmmaker and Nicola, a Sicilian ex-gangster who lives in Florence. The film moves to and fro between a street of ill repute, and the

South-East Europe Gender Role and Identity

The Mursi 1974 52‘

Directed by Leslie Woodhead .

The Mursi are a cattle-keeping and agricultural group without chiefs or leaders from south-west Ethiopia. This film, made under extremely difficult conditions, focuses on the way decisions are made

North and Northeast Africa War / Conflict / Reconciliation Social Organisation

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

Mirror Mirror 2006 58‘

Directed by Zemirah Moffat .

Mirror Mirror is based on an audio-visual ethnography of London’s queer Club Wotever. Begun in the autumn of 2003, it promoted itself as a club that welcomed all genders and sexualities – a

British-Irish Isles LGBTQI* Sex / Sexuality Gender Role and Identity

Mangrove Music 2006 49‘

Directed by Carlo A. Cubero .

The Caribbean island of Culebra is located between Spanish speaking Puerto Rico and English speaking Virgin Islands. Musicians from the island are inspired from a variety of regional, national and

Central America Music / Ethnomusicology

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

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Messages by Music – Senegal in Transition 2013 76‘

Directed by Cornelia Strasse .

The traditional musicians in Senegal were in charge of retaining the history of their ethnic group, along with ways of thinking and behaving. Their aim was to conserve the society. Nowadays the

East Africa Music / Ethnomusicology Colonialism / Postcolonialism Social Change Political Activists Resistance

Majma 2001 54‘

Directed by Rahul Roy .

Aslam sells medicines for sexual problems on the pavements of Meena Bazar near Jama Masjid in Delhi. Khalifa Barkat presides over an wrestling gym (akhara) in the adjacent park and puts a group of

South Asia Gender Role and Identity Sport Socioeconomic conditions

Masai Women 1974 52‘

Directed by Chris Curling .

The Masai are cattle herders living in the East African rift valley: they grow no crops and are proud of being a non-agricultural people. Cattle are the all-important source of wealth and social

East Africa Gender Role and Identity Social Change Ritual Social Organisation Nomads and Nomadism Herding

Masai Manhood 1975 52‘

Directed by Chris Curling .

This film was made after ‘Masai Women’ and in the same area. Together the two films provide a vivid view of Masai men and women and their place in Masai society. The Masai are pastoral nomads in

East Africa Gender Role and Identity Social Change Ritual Social Organisation Nomads and Nomadism Herding

The Meo 1972 52‘

Directed by Brian Moser Chris Curling .

Over the last three thousand years the Meo (Miao or Hmong) have migrated south from north and central China to avoid oppression and protect their way of life. Today they live in scattered mountain

South-East Asia War / Conflict / Reconciliation Shamans and Shamanism Ritual Social Organisation Rural

The Mende 1990 52‘

Directed by Bruce MacDonald .

This is a portrait of Kpuawala, Sierra Leone, a village of some 260 Mende people living in a clearing in the forest in houses of mud brick and tin. Like any village portrait it gossips, happy

West Africa Everyday Life Social Organisation Rural

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

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Marriage, Maoism and Modernity 2009 30‘

Directed by Zhifang Song Gary Seaman Steven Rousso-Schindler .

This film outlines the types of marriage exchange practiced in a Chinese village over the last fifty years. Dowry, brideprice and exchange marriages have dominated the marriage market in turn as

Central Asia and Far East Marriage History Social Change

Mursi: The Land is Bad 1991 52‘

Directed by Leslie Woodhead .

A further visit to the Mursi of Southern Ethiopia with whom contact was established 17 years ago, for an important coming of age ceremony which has had to be postponed many times. An elder of the

North and Northeast Africa Ritual Social Conflict Health / Health care / Healing

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

The Mehinacu 1974 52‘

Directed by Carlos Pasini .

The Mehinacu live near the head-waters of the River Xingu in Central Brazil, in a single village within the protective confines of the Xingu National Park. Although the film concentrates upon the

South America Social Organisation Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Collective / Community identity Ritual

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1700 Metres from the Future 1990 86‘

Directed by Ulla Rasmussen .

Ulla Boje Rasmussen portrays with humour and empathy life in the small Faroese village of Gásadalur, inhabited by just 16 adults and a 9-year old boy. The film gives a unique insight into the

Scandinavia Land Rights Infrastructure / Transport

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

Motels 2020 27‘

Directed by Claudia F. Quigua .

Have you ever been in a motel room with rounded beds, love chairs, coloured lights and dancing poles? This film explores a prominent yet often overlooked aspect of Colombian culture through the

South America Sex / Sexuality Love Tourism/ Travel/ Pilgrimage

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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)

Mursi: Nitha 1991 52‘

Directed by Leslie Woodhead .

The proper time for a man to go through the Age Set Ceremony, the nitha, is just as he reaches physical maturity. But many years may elapse from one nitha to the next, so it is inevitable that some

North and Northeast Africa Ritual Social Conflict Gender Role and Identity

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