This Thursday acclaimed director Pema Tseden will be screening his documentary film The Weatherman’s Legacy at Trace Foundation. Made for Discovery Channel Asia in 2004, the film was made in Pema Tseden’s hometown, where it follows a Tibetan shaman who wants to pass down his hailstorm-stopping and rain-making skills to a son who would rather run a video-rental business in the village instead. Worried that his reputation in the village is slipping, the shaman’s last hope lies with his grandson, who is beginning to learn the ancient incantations.
In addition to providing a window onto the world of ngakpa, those non-monastic tantric practitioners also known as yogis or shamans, the film offers an intimate glimpse into the everyday lives of Tibetans in Amdo, a region in which ngakpa still possess a significant, though waning, influence.
Before he became a filmmaker, Pema Tseden worked as a writer with over fifty published short stories and novellas and a master’s degree in language and literature. As a Trace Foundation fellow, he became the first Tibetan to enroll in the prestigious Beijing Film Academy. His award-winning films (Silent Holy Stones, The Search, Old Dog) have been featured in film festivals around the world and have received acclaim for their nuanced and sensitive portrayals of contemporary life in Tibet. After the screening, Pema Tseden will discuss the craft of documentary making.
Thursday, November 15, 6:30-8:30pm
Trace Foundation
132 Perry St., Suite 2B
New York, NY 10014
events@trace.org
Suggested donation $10. Students $5.
For more information, visit the event page here.