Films - RAI FILM

RAI FILM

Film list

[some-women-of-marrakech--Film-image]

Some Women of Marrakech 1977 52‘

Directed by Melissa Llewelyn-Davies .

In Marrakech, traditional attitudes to women prevail perhaps more strongly than in other Moroccan cities. This is especially true for those women who live by the standards of traditional ideals in

North and Northeast Africa Gender Role and Identity Labour Dance / Theatre / Performance Social Norms

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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

[cham-in-the-lepcha-village-of-lingthem--Film-image]

Cham in the Lepcha Village of Lingthem 2007 52‘

Directed by Dawa Tsering Lepcha .

Every winter, over a period of six days, the lamas of Lingthem’s village monastery hold their annual cham. These dramatic ritual masked dances impart elementary Buddhist teachings while providing

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

[in-the-play-of-life-a-wayang-performance-in-east-java--Film-image]

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

[in-search-of-the-hamatsa-a-tale-of-headhunting--Film-image]

In Search of the Hamat’sa: A Tale of Headhunting 2004 33‘

Directed by Aaron Glass .

The Hamat’sa (or “Cannibal Dance”) is the most important—and highly represented ceremony of the Kwakwaka’wakw (Kwakiutl) people of British Columbia. This film traces the history of

North America Archival material / Museum displays Dance / Theatre / Performance Ritual Informant-researcher relationship Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples

[herat-films-the-annual-cycle-of-music-in-herat--Film-image]

Herat Films: The Annual Cycle of Music in Herat 1983 54‘

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 Dance / Theatre / Performance Music / Ethnomusicology

[kwagh-hir--Film-image]

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

[body-games-capoeira-and-ancestry--Film-image]

Body Games – Capoeira and Ancestry 2014 87‘

Student Directed by Richard Pakleppa Matthias Röhrig Assunção Christine Dettmann .

The film follows master Cobra Mansa and his friends in the search for the African roots of the Brazilian martial art Capoeira. A powerful myth links Capoeira to a legendary Angolan game called Engolo

South America Southern Africa Dance / Theatre / Performance Music / Ethnomusicology Festivals / Carnival

[benin-kingship-rituals--Film-image]

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

[horror-in-the-andes--Film-image]

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

[atieno--Film-image]

Atieno 2018 64‘

Directed by June Ndinya Effie Awino Ruth Njoki Lavine Atieno Dorcas Akin .

Atieno is a collaborative fiction film scripted, acted and directed by DreamGirls, a group of adolescent girls and young women from Nairobi and Kisumu. The film tells of Atieno, a 16 year old girl

East Africa Health / Healthcare / Healing Children / Young people Gender Role and Identity Ethnofiction Dance / Theatre / Performance Participatory / Collaborative methods Sex / Sexuality

[it-was-tomorrow--Film-image]

IT WAS TOMORROW 2018 53‘

Student Directed by Alexandra D’onofrio .

After living in Italy for almost ten years without documents, three Egyptian men – Ali, Mahmoud and Mohamed – are suddenly awarded legal residence. As a whole new world of opportunities opens up to

Western Mediterranean Animation Art / Artists / Artisans Dance / Theatre / Performance Film / Photography / Mass media Life Story / Life History Memory Migration Research methods Participatory / Collaborative methods

[sundanese-culture-alive--Film-image]

Sundanese Culture Alive 1988 46‘

Directed by Jean Hellwig .

Jaipongan is a new style of music and dancing which was ‘invented’ about a decade ago on Western Java, Indonesia. Drawing on more classical Javanese music and taking elements from Japanese and

South-East Asia Music / Ethnomusicology Dance / Theatre / Performance

[the-storyteller--Film-image]

The Storyteller 1990 50‘

Student Directed by John Paul Davidson .

Unaware of the written word until the 1950s, the Waura tribe who live in the headwaters of the Xingu river in Brazil still practise the art of storytelling. Tribal storyteller Aruta recounts one of

South America Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Dance / Theatre / Performance Religion / Belief / Faith

[vaud-and-the-villains--Film-image]

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

[eat-the-kimono--Film-image]

Eat the Kimono 1989 60‘

Directed by Kim Longinotto Claire Hunt .

A compelling biography of Hanayagi Genshu, a feminist and dancer who spent her lifetime defying the conservative traditions of Japanese society with her radical politics and unconventional

Central Asia and Far East Public Figure Gender Role and Identity Art / Artists / Artisans Dance / Theatre / Performance Alternative culture

[bailarinas--Film-image]

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

[taras-footprint--Film-image]

Tara’s footprint 2018 70‘

Intangible Culture Directed by Georgina Barreiro .

Tara’s Footprint skilfully conjures the atmosphere of Khechuperi, a village in the Himalayas in north eastern India. Eschewing standard exposition the film follows four young siblings as they go

South Asia Children / Young people Dance / Theatre / Performance Everyday Life Music / Ethnomusicology Religion / Belief / Faith Rural

[dream-girls--Film-image]

Dream Girls 1993 50‘

Directed by Kim Longinotto Jano Williams .

This award-winning film opens a door into the amazing world of the Takarazuka Revue, the all-female theatre troupe in Japan. Thousands of young women aspire to perform in the Revue’s glitzy musical

Central Asia and Far East Public Figure Popular Culture Dance / Theatre / Performance Gender Role and Identity

[gule-wamkulu-the-great-dance--Film-image]

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

[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

[chantals-choice--Film-image]

Chantal’s Choice 1990 30‘

Directed by Priscilla Hinckley Carlyn Saltman .

Adolescents in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, create a play for their peers in Europe and the USA. They enact an African folktale about a girl who faces a painful dilemma because she is determined to stay in school.

West Africa Dance / Theatre / Performance Children / Young people Reproduction (biology)

[consulting-embah-wali--Film-image]

Consulting Embah Wali 2000 42‘

Directed by Patsy Asch .

These companion films (ANU Indonesia Series, DVD $ examine the philosophy and ritual practices of the followers of a holy man popularly known as Embah Wali. The movement, centred in Blitar, East

South-East Asia Ritual Dance / Theatre / Performance

[cine-rabeca--Film-image]

Cine Rabeca 2022 55‘

Directed by Marcia Mansu .

Time dimensions emerge from the relation between the visible and the imagined, between memory and the experience of the present. A unique place emerges through the entanglement of music and archive

Latin America Music / Ethnomusicology Art / Artists / Artisans Dance / Theatre / Performance

[hope-despair-and-laughter-a-circus-project-in-palestine--Film-image]

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

[barbara-and-her-friends-in-candombleland--Film-image]

Barbara and Her Friends in Candombleland 1997 52‘

Directed by Sylvie Timbert Carmen Opipari .

In the divine Afro Brazilian cult Candomble is an initiation religion centred around possession. The filmmakers concentrate on children who introduce and guide us to this world. The children play

South America Children / Young people Dance / Theatre / Performance Possession Ritual

[staging-a-return--Film-image]

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

[the-dancer-and-the-dance--Film-image]

The Dancer and the Dance 1988 44‘

Directed by Felicia Hughes-Freeland .

This film is an invitation to see Javanese palace dancing as performed in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, and to go beyond appearances to discover what the dance means to those who continue the tradition. In

South-East Asia Dance / Theatre / Performance

[ymako--Film-image]

Ymako 1998 52‘

Directed by Laurent Van Lancker Robin Shuffield .

Ymako Teatri, a theatre company based in the Ivory Coast, uses street theatre to question some contemporary West African problems. Their originality consists in using the ‘invisible theatre’

West Africa Dance / Theatre / Performance Health / Health care / Healing Social participation