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About
About RAI Film
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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
RAI FILM
Login
Facebook
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Twitter
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
11 Films
Keywords
“Ritual”
x
Country of production
“Australia”
x
short films
3
Region
Australia
2
Melanesia
1
South-East Asia
8
Country
Australia
2
Indonesia
8
Papua New Guinea
1
Keywords
Archival material / Museum displays
1
Art / Artists / Artisans
1
Dance / Theatre / Performance
2
Death
5
Elderly people
1
Family / Kinship
1
Film / Photography / Mass media
1
Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples
2
Marriage
2
Possession
2
Religion / Belief / Faith
2
Ritual
11
x
Directors
Asch, Patsy
5
Asch, Timothy
4
Connor, Linda
2
Forge, Anthony
1
Fox, James J.
1
MacDougall, David
1
MacDougall, Judith
1
Owen, Chris
1
Richter, Thomas
1
Vischer, Michael P.
1
Series
ANU, Indonesia Series
8
not set
3
Country of production
Australia
11
x
Papua New Guinea
1
United States
2
Year of production
1973
1
1977
1
1980
2
1988
1
1991
1
1992
2
1996
1
2000
2
Film list
A Balinese Trance Séance
1980
46
‘
Directed by
Timothy Asch
Linda Connor
.
Jero Tapakan is ‘entered’ by deities and spirits who converse with her clients. Unbeknown to her, they wish to contact the spirit of their dead son to learn the cause of his death and his wishes
South-East Asia
Death
Possession
Ritual
Bridewealth for a Goddess
2000
72
‘
Directed by
Chris Owen
.
A unique insight into a secret spirit cult among the Kawelka people in the Western Highlands of Papua New Guinea. After a dream, a clan leader initiates a long and complex ‘work’, when he and a
Melanesia
Ritual
Marriage
Possession
A Celebration of Origins: Wai Brama, Flores, Indonesia
1992
45
‘
Directed by
Timothy Asch
Patsy Asch
.
This film is a record of the gren mahe rituals of the people of the domain of Wai Brama. The gren mahe is the largest religious event of the Wai Brama ceremonial system and requires the participation
South-East Asia
Ritual
Religion / Belief / Faith
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
Contestations
1996
55
‘
Directed by
Michael P. Vischer
Thomas Richter
.
The recording follows a journey from the island of Palu’e to the mainland to purchase water buffalo. Back at Palu’e, a series of sacrifices is held to make amends for transgressions. The events, part
South-East Asia
Ritual
Good-bye Old Man
1977
70
‘
Directed by
David MacDougall
.
A last request of a Tiwi man on Melville Island was that a film be made of the pukumani (bereavment) ceremony to follow his death. The film follows his family, from the days of preparation to their
Australia
Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples
Death
Elderly people
Film / Photography / Mass media
Ritual
The House-Opening
1980
45
‘
Directed by
Judith MacDougall
.
When Geraldine Kawanka’s husband died, she and her children left their house at Aurukun on Cape York Peninsula. In earlier times a bark house would have been burnt, but today a ‘house-opening’
Australia
Ritual
Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples
Death
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
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
Releasing the Spirits: a village cremation in Bali
1991
44
‘
Directed by
Patsy Asch
Linda Connor
Timothy Asch
.
In 1978, as part of the preparations for the island-wide ceremony eka dasa rudra, religious officials urged all Balinese to cleanse the island by cremating their dead. Many were forced to pool
South-East Asia
Death
Ritual
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