Films - RAI FILM

RAI FILM

Film list

[agave-is-life--Film-image]

Agave is Life 2014 59‘

Directed by Meredith Dreiss David Brown .

Agave is Life is a documentary film about mankind’s 10,000 year-long symbiotic alliance with the marvelous agave plant, from which tequila, Mexico’s iconic distilled spirit, is derived. The

Central America Archaeobotany / Ethnobotany Food History

[at-low-tide--Film-image]

At Low Tide 2016 63‘

Directed by Anna Grimshaw .

Every day, carrying the simplest of tools, diggers across coastal Maine set out at low tide to dig for clams on the wide mud flats that stretch far into the bay. It is backbreaking work. But it has

North America Material Culture Labour Hunting / Gathering / Fishing

[a-chair-in-six-parts--Film-image]

A Chair: in six parts 2013 42‘

Student Directed by Anna Grimshaw .

A poem about a chair. In 1960, Bill Coperthwaite bought 300 acres of wilderness in Machiasport, Maine. Influenced by the poetry of Emily Dickinson and by the back to the land movement of Scott and

North America Material Culture Alternative culture Art / Artists / Artisans

[democracia-indigena--Film-image]

Democracía Indígena 2000 39‘

Directed by Bruce Pacho Lane .

This film examines the indigenous rights revolution sweeping Mexico through the municipal elections in Huehuetla, Puebla. In 1989, the Huehuetla Totonacs formed the Organización Independiente

Central America Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Political Activists

[doctors-of-two-worlds--Film-image]

Doctors of Two Worlds 1989 55‘

Directed by Natasha Solomons .

In the Bolivian highlands an English doctor is setting up a network of health care for remote mountain villages. While teaching the inhabitants the essentials of Western medicine the doctor is

South America Health / Health care / Healing Informant-researcher relationship Development projects

[a-donation-to-the-museum--Film-image]

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

[imbalu-ritual-of-manhood-of-the-gisu-of-uganda--Film-image]

Imbalu: Ritual of Manhood of the Gisu of Uganda 1988 69‘

Directed by Richard Hawkins .

An insightful documentary, constructed with visual restraint, about the male circumcision ritual among the Gisu of Uganda. The narrative follows one male participant through the ritual and contrasts

East Africa Ritual Gender Role and Identity

[journey-into-europe--Film-image]

Journey into Europe 2015 122‘

Directed by Akbar Ahmed .

In Journey into Europe, Akbar Ahmed, a world-renowned anthropologist, Islamic scholar, and filmmaker who the BBC has called “the world’s leading authority on contemporary Islam,” explores Islam

Central Europe Western Europe South-East Europe History Religion / Belief / Faith Collective / Community identity

[the-last-navigator--Film-image]

The Last Navigator 1989 50‘

Directed by André Singer .

This is the story of two cultures and two technologies. An American navigator is taught the skills of navigation by a traditional Micronesian navigator on Satawal island. The American tries to

Micronesia Tourism / Travel / Pilgrimage Infrastructure / Transport Education / Knowledge Transmission

[a-sheepherders-homecoming--Film-image]

A Sheepherder’s Homecoming 1996 40‘

Directed by Allen Moore Louis Werner .

This film documents a migrant worker’s experiences as a herder on a Nevada sheep ranch who then returns to his family in Mexico after a long absence to renew ties and find a job at home. It

North America Central America Migration Labour

[tigers-apprentice--Film-image]

Tigers Apprentice 1998 57‘

Directed by M. Trinh Nguyen .

Tiger’s Apprentice is the story of M. Trinh Nguyen’s journey to her native Vietnam. She observes and documents her great-uncle’s folk medicine practices treating many patients and making his

South-East Asia Health / Health care / Healing Archaeobotany / Ethnobotany

[virtual-me-gender-and-identity-in-world-of-warcraft--Film-image]

Virtual me: Gender and Identity in World of Warcraft 2013 11‘

Directed by Trent Monahan Sarah Prothero Jennifer Torson .

‘Virtual Me’ examines the experiences of players of the online game World of Warcraft, focusing specifically on their experience and understanding of issues surrounding gender and identity within

North America Gender Role and Identity Animation Internet

[the-water-goddess-and-the-computer--Film-image]

The Water Goddess and the Computer 1989 52‘

Directed by André Singer Steven Lansing .

The film demonstrates how in Bali, development projects can threaten a carefully balanced ecological irrigation system that is maintained by temple priests. A biologist and an anthropologist look at

South-East Asia Infrastructure / Transport Development projects Environment

[were-ni-he-is-a-madman--Film-image]

Were Ni! He is a Madman 1963 30‘

Directed by Frank Speed Raymond Prince .

This ethnopsychiatric film shows the management of psychiatric disorders by the Yoruba of Nigeria. There are two basic types of institutions to deal with psychiatric disorders. First there are

West Africa Health / Health care / Healing Ritual Possession

[yanomami-from-machetes-to-mobile-phones--Film-image]

Yanomami: From Machetes to Mobile Phones 2012 58‘

Directed by Cliff Orloff and Olga Shalygin .

The Yanomami Indians are one of the last large relatively unacculturated indigenous groups remaining in the world. In November 2000 filmmakers Orloff and Shalygin documented the lives of a small

South America Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Material Culture Social Change

[youth-group--Film-image]

Youth Group 2015 28‘

Student Directed by Wanwan Lu .

Set in the predominantly Asian “ethnoburbs” of Los Angeles County, this film follows a vibrant Buddhist youth group in a Chinese-American temple. Youth group members, most raised by immigrant

North America Collective / Community identity Religion / Belief / Faith Intergenerational relations