Films - RAI FILM

RAI FILM

Film list

[the-basques-of-santazi--Film-image]

The Basques of Santazi 1987 52‘

Directed by Leslie Woodhead .

*In her book ‘The Circle of Mountains’ Sandra Ott provided a fascinating analysis of social reciprocity (…) The film highlights the village’s contemporary dilemmas and thereby complements rather

Western Europe Herding Social Change Rural

[the-albanians-of-rrogam--Film-image]

The Albanians of Rrogam 1991 52‘

Directed by David Wason .

With the fall of the Stalinist regime in Albania, one of the poorest countries in Europe, the people of a remote mountain village, Rrogam, are faced with the dilmma of how to re-allocate the land and

South-East Europe Post-communism Social Change Land Rights Rural

[the-trobriand-islanders-of-papua-new-guinea--Film-image]

The Trobriand Islanders of Papua New Guinea 1990 52‘

Directed by David Wason .

The Trobriand Islands lie off the eastern tip of Papua New Guinea. The island society has a complex balance of male authority and female wealth. Magic spells and sorcery pervade everyday life.

Melanesia Gender Role and Identity Festivals / Carnival Ritual

[the-kalasha-rites-of-spring--Film-image]

The Kalasha: Rites of Spring 1990 60‘

Directed by John Sheppard .

The Kalasha are a tribal people, 3,000 strong, who live in the high valleys of the Hindu Kush mountains in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan. The Kalasha are unique as a pagan people in

South Asia Festivals / Carnival Land Rights Agriculture / Farming Social Conflict

[mongolia-part-1-on-the-edge-of-the-gobi--Film-image]

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

[the-shilluk-of-southern-sudan--Film-image]

The Shilluk of Southern Sudan 1976 52‘

Directed by Chris Curling .

This film presents a compelling visual and aural analysis of Shilluk kingship in 1975, and provides a very useful complement to Evans-Pritchard’s 1948 text, The Divine Kingship of the Shilluk.

North and Northeast Africa Collective / Community identity Social Organisation

[the-eskimos-of-pond-inlet--Film-image]

The Eskimos of Pond Inlet 1977 52‘

Directed by Michael Grigsby .

For the Eskimos of Pond Inlet – a new village in North Baffin Island in which they have been settled by the Canadian Government – the life of the semi-nomadic hunter has given way to that of

North America Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Hunting / Gathering / Fishing Collective / Community identity Social Conflict

[sherpas-of-nepal--Film-image]

Sherpas of Nepal 1977 52‘

Directed by Leslie Woodhead Pattie Winter .

Thami is a village 12,000 feet up in the Himalayas in the Kingdom of Nepal. As the film’s opening shots illustrate, in a type of filmic short-hand, Thami is composed of a patchwork of individual

South Asia Tourism / Travel / Pilgrimage Labour Marriage Social Change

[the-herders-of-mongun-taiga--Film-image]

The Herders of Mongun-Taiga 1989 52‘

Directed by John Sheppard .

The Tuvinians live deep inside the Soviet Union, at the very centre of Asia. Tuva is geographically closer to Peking than to Moscow. It only entered the USSR in 1944 and was closed to foreigners

Central Asia and Far East Herding Nomads and Nomadism Shamans and Shamanism Gender Role and Identity Social Change

[orphans-of-passage-the-uduk--Film-image]

Orphans of Passage: The Uduk 1993 52‘

Directed by Bruce MacDonald .

In 1987 Sudanese government forces attacked the Uduk of Southern Sudan, and 20-25000 Uduk fled. Since then they have criss-crossed the Sudanese/Ethiopian border 5 times. In the spring of 1992, 13000

North and Northeast Africa Refugees / Displaced populations War / Conflict / Reconciliation Religion / Belief / Faith Squatter Settlements / Homelessness

[the-kazakhs-of-china--Film-image]

The Kazakhs of China 1983 52‘

Directed by André Singer .

The Kazakhs of Xinjiang (Sinkiang) are one of the fifty-five national minorities that now live within the borders of the People’s Republic of China. The policy of the Chinese Communist Party toward

Central Asia and Far East Social Change Nomads and Nomadism Collective / Community identity

[embera-the-end-of-the-road--Film-image]

Embera — the End of the Road 1971 52‘

Directed by Brian Moser .

The way of life of the 10,000 Embera Indians who live in the Choco region of Colombia, South American, is threatened by the encroachments of Negro Libres (descendants of freed slaves) and by the

South America Land Rights Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples

[the-last-of-the-cuiva--Film-image]

The Last of the Cuiva 1971 52‘

Directed by Brian Moser .

The film focuses on recent changes in the culture and society of the Cuiva, hunters and gatherers in a remote forest region of south-eastern Colombia, brought about through contact with Colombian

South America Social Change Race / Racism / Antiracism Land Rights Hunting / Gathering / Fishing

[the-lau-of-malaita--Film-image]

The Lau of Malaita 1982 52‘

Directed by Leslie Woodhead .

*Pierre Miranda and a team from Granada Television have made a fine film exploring the trouble realities of the people of the lagoon in the 1980s.* (B. Shore) This film focuses on the people of

Melanesia Social Change Social Conflict Ritual Death Religion / Belief / Faith

[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

[dervishes-of-kurdistan--Film-image]

Dervishes of Kurdistan 1973 52‘

Directed by Brian Moser .

A community of Kurds resident in Iran on the border with Iraq forms the subject of this film. Many of the inhabitants of the community are refugees from Kurdish areas of Iraq and the villagers are

Middle and Near East Refugees / Displaced populations Religion / Belief / Faith

[the-kirghiz-of-afghanistan--Film-image]

The Kirghiz of Afghanistan 1975 51‘

Directed by Charlie Nairn André Singer .

The Kirghiz of Afghanistan are a group of some 2,000 pastoralists living on a bleak mountain plateau in a narrow isthmus of land between the borders of the Soviet Union and China. For nine months of

Middle and Near East Herding Nomads and Nomadism Social Organisation

[the-villagers-of-sierra-de-gredos--Film-image]

The Villagers of Sierra de Gredos 1989 52‘

Directed by Peter Carr .

The 130 villagers of Navalguijo in the Sierra de Gredos of Central Spain live in a village perched high in the mountains and they face an extreme climate with very cold winters and hot summers. The

Western Mediterranean Herding Rural Collective / Community identity

[in-search-of-cool-ground-the-mursi-trilogy--Film-image]

In Search of Cool Ground: The Mursi Trilogy 1987 52‘

Directed by Leslie Woodhead .

This is a trilogy about aspects of the culture of two groups of people, the Kwegu and the Mursi, in Ethiopia. The titles are: THE MURSI , THE KWEGU, THE MIGRANTS *What made this trilogy special

North America Social Change Socioeconomic conditions Health / Health care / Healing

[the-whale-hunters-of-lamalera--Film-image]

The Whale Hunters of Lamalera 1988 52‘

Directed by John Blake David Wason .

The Whale Hunters of Lamalera was filmed over a period of four weeks during June 1987. Lamalera is a village which is perched on the rocky slopes of an active volcano on the southern coast of the

South-East Asia Hunting / Gathering / Fishing Animals Everyday Life

[cakchiquel-maya-of-san-antonio-palopo--Film-image]

Cakchiquel Maya of San Antonio Palopó 1987 52‘

Directed by Bruce MacDonald .

The documentary shows how Cakchiquel Maya of a village on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala adapted to changes that took place in the decades before the film was made, when the lake became a favoured spot

Central America Tourism / Travel / Pilgrimage Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples

[the-longest-struggle-the-karen-of-burma--Film-image]

The Longest Struggle: The Karen of Burma 1993 52‘

Directed by John Sheppard .

In the forested hills of eastern Burma, a war has been going on for more than 50 years. A war that is rarely reported and is often apparently at a stalemate. For the Karen people of this part of

South-East Asia War / Conflict / Reconciliation Memory

[war-of-the-gods--Film-image]

War of the Gods 1971 52‘

Directed by Brian Moser .

While relying on a polemical stance directed against the cultural genocide wrought by missionaries, ‘War of the Gods’ also contains a wealth of information and detail about Amazonian Indian

South America Religion / Belief / Faith Collective / Community identity Agriculture / Farming Hunting / Gathering / Fishing

[the-kayapo-out-of-the-forest--Film-image]

The Kayapo: Out of the Forest 1989 52‘

Directed by Michael Beckham .

Early in 1989 the Kayapo rallied other Brazilian Indians to attend a reunification of the tribes at Altamira«the proposed site of a massive hydro-electric dam, that will flood large parts of the

South America Land Rights Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Resistance Film / Photography / Mass media Political Activists Social Conflict

[mongolia-part-2-the-city-on-the-steppes--Film-image]

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

[the-kawelka-ongkas-big-moka--Film-image]

The Kawelka: Ongka’s Big Moka 1974 52‘

Directed by Charlie Nairn .

Ongka is a charismatic big-man of the Kawelka tribe who live scattered in the Western highlands, north of Mount Hagen, in Papua New Guinea. The film focuses on the motivations and efforts involved

Melanesia Ritual Festivals / Carnival Social Conflict

[across-the-tracks-the-vlach-gypsies-in-hungary--Film-image]

Across the Tracks – The Vlach Gypsies in Hungary 1988 52‘

Directed by John Blake .

*’Across the Tracks’ is a gripping film for the general viewer. It is beautifully filmed in observational style (lingering scenes of muddy courtyards) with enough subtitled interview material to

Central Europe Animals Labour Travellers / Roma

[the-migrants--Film-image]

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

[the-kwegu--Film-image]

The Kwegu 1979 52‘

Directed by Leslie Woodhead Andy Harries .

*’The Kwegu’ is an entirely tasteful and dignified presentation of the harsh realities of subsistence living, and it may help us understand how, even in stateless societies, dominated groups come to

North and Northeast Africa Collective / Community identity Agriculture / Farming Social Organisation Marriage Trade

[we-are-all-neighbours--Film-image]

We Are All Neighbours 1993 52‘

Directed by Debbie Christie .

The film shows the effect of war on families in a racially mixed village outside Sarajevo, Bosnia, where Bosnian Croats and Bosnian Moslems lived peacefully together. Norwegian anthropologist Tone

South-East Europe War / Conflict / Reconciliation Collective / Community identity Inter-religious relations

[the-mursi--Film-image]

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

[a-clearing-in-the-jungle--Film-image]

A Clearing in the Jungle 1970 52‘

Directed by Charlie Nairn .

Like that of many other Indian groups in South America, the culture of the Panare Indians of Venezuela is threatened by their almost daily contact with neighbouring creoles, Spanish-speaking

South America Hunting / Gathering / Fishing Informant-researcher relationship Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples

[the-tuareg--Film-image]

The Tuareg 1972 52‘

Directed by Charlie Nairn .

This film is about a group of nomadic Tuareg living high up in the Hoggar Mountains near Tamanrasset in Algeria. The main focus of the film is the collapse of the former economic basis of their

North and Northeast Africa Social Organisation Social Change Socioeconomic conditions Nomads and Nomadism

[the-newest-revolution--Film-image]

The Newest Revolution 1983 52‘

Directed by Leslie Woodhead Claire Lasko .

This film is a continuation of ‘Living with the Revolution’, set in the same communes near Wuxi and focusing on the same families. This film concentrates, however, on the new social and economic

Central Asia and Far East Family / Kinship Social Change

[kataragama-a-god-for-all-seasons--Film-image]

Kataragama: A God for All Seasons 1973 52‘

Directed by Charlie Nairn .

In ever-increasing numbers Sinhalese of all religions (Muslims, Christians and Buddhists) are turning to Kataragama, an ancient Hindu God, at times of trouble and desperation. Once a year pilgrims

South Asia Religion / Belief / Faith Ritual Possession

[khyber--Film-image]

Khyber 1979 49‘

Directed by André Singer Andy Harries .

For more than a century Britain was engaged in war with the Pashtun tribesmen of India’s North West frontier. It began with the bloodiest massacre in the history of the British Empire when, in

South Asia War / Conflict / Reconciliation Colonialism / Postcolonialism History

[the-sakuddei--Film-image]

The Sakuddei 1974 52‘

Directed by John Sheppard .

The Sakuddei are a small and ethnically separate community living on the island of Siberut off the west coast of Sumatra in Indonesia. Their distinctive way of life and elaborate religious

South-East Asia Collective / Community identity Social Change Land Rights

[living-with-the-revolution--Film-image]

Living with the Revolution 1983 52‘

Directed by Leslie Woodhead Claire Lasko .

*These three films (‘Inside China: Living with the Revolution’; ‘The Newest Revolution’; ‘The Kazakhs of China’) present a valuable record of aspects of most recent developments in China.* (A.

Central Asia and Far East Social Change History Family / Kinship

[the-rendille--Film-image]

The Rendille 1977 52‘

Directed by Chris Curling .

The Rendille are camel herders who live in villages and camps dotted over 10,000 square miles of desert and scrub bush in Northern Kenya. As the terrain they occupy is so dry, the Rendille grow no

East Africa Herding Animals Social Organisation Everyday Life

[witchcraft-among-the-azande--Film-image]

Witchcraft Among the Azande 1982 52‘

Directed by André Singer .

*Witchcraft among the Azande’ is suitable for showing in undergraduate and graduate classes on topics of religion, philosophy, and African ethnography. It could also be stimulating to discussions of

North and Northeast Africa Religion / Belief / Faith Health / Health care / Healing Social Change

[masai-women--Film-image]

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--Film-image]

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--Film-image]

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--Film-image]

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

[mursi-the-land-is-bad--Film-image]

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

[the-quechua--Film-image]

The Quechua 1974 52‘

Directed by Carlos Pasini David Ash .

This film is set in a community of peasant agriculturalists 2 1/4 miles above sea level in the southern Peruvian Andes. Concentrating on a single family, the film explores aspects of religious and

South America Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Religion / Belief / Faith Social Change

[the-mehinacu--Film-image]

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

[the-kayapo--Film-image]

The Kayapo 1987 52‘

Directed by Michael Beckham .

This film focuses on the conflicts and determination of a group of people trying to survive and maintain their ethnic identity in the face of almost overpowering odds. The film contrasts the

South America Land Rights Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Political Activists Resistance Social Conflict

[asante-market-women--Film-image]

Asante Market Women 1982 52‘

Directed by Claudia Milne .

As retailers, wholesalers, and negotiators, Asante women of Ghana dominate the huge Kumasi Central Market amid the laughter, argument, colour and music. The crew of this Disappearing World film have

West Africa Marriage Trade Gender Role and Identity

[the-pathans--Film-image]

The Pathans 1980 52‘

Directed by André Singer Andy Harries .

There are twelve million Pathans. Bound by a common language, a common heritage and the unifying force of Islam, these proud and independent people do not acknowledge the geographical boundary which

South Asia War / Conflict / Reconciliation Social Organisation Gender Role and Identity

[the-wodaabe--Film-image]

The Wodaabe 1988 52‘

Directed by Leslie Woodhead David Wason .

*Is the Wodaabe world disappearing? How are we to place the painted male faces? The very considerable success of this film is the ways it answers these questions.* J. Picto The Wodaabe follow

Central Africa Herding Animals Everyday Life Ritual

[umbanda--Film-image]

Umbanda 1977 52‘

Directed by Stephen Cross .

Umbanda is a syncretic religious movement, combining elements from orthodox Catholicism with submerged African and indigenous Indian spiritual beliefs. In spite of past attempts to suppress it,

South America Possession Health / Health care / Healing Religion / Belief / Faith Ritual

[afghan-exodus--Film-image]

Afghan Exodus 1980 52‘

Directed by André Singer .

When Granada Television visited Afghanistan to make the award-winning Disappearing World ‘The Kirghiz’, they were a proud, independent, nomadic people who made their living by rearing herds of yaks

South Asia Refugees / Displaced populations War / Conflict / Reconciliation Migration

[mursi-nitha--Film-image]

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