Wrecked Cities in China (被破坏的城市) & The Last Great Dongba (最后的大东巴)
Wrecked Cities in China / 被破坏的城市
Directed by Zhang Haiying (2010, 30 min, English subtitles);
All the cities can’t escape destruction. They are now of a single type, becoming a new Manhattan, or the next Singapore. None of them become their own. The new cities are changing into standardized ones, just like products off an assembly line. Old houses with unique characteristics have disappeared. The warm friendship and cosy atmosphere of the old days between people in the neighborhood are gone forever. What we see now are just tall buildings, like a forest made of cement.
所有的城市都在拆除 所有的城市都在变得一模一样；成为下一个曼 哈顿 或者 下一个新加坡 从来没有一个城市需要成为自己所有的城市都在成为标准化的城市 就像流水线的产品。拆除的是老的房子人际关系 人的疏离，这个城市丢失了老的房子 老的味道 老的文化 留下的只是 城市森林的丛林法则 。
The Last Great Dongba / 最后的大东巴
Directed by Gu Xue’er (2010, 60 mins, English Subtitles)
(Dongbas are Ritualists of the Naxi People)
Dongbas were ritualists of the Naxi people. Filmed over a period of six years, this documentary introduces seven culture-bearers of the Naxi. Three great Dongbas passed away in recent years, and a “King of Songs” passed away in 2008. This film includes rare scenes of them while alive, and records their mourning rites. On a high-altitude plateau at 7500 feet, the Naxi have preserved elements of their ancient culture: pictographic writing, mysterious rituals, and unique marriage customs. This is a rare cinematic document of cultural anthropology presents a precious, genuine folk culture at the verge of losing continuity.
东巴是纳西族东巴教的祭祀，掌管象形文字，所以象形文也叫东巴文。大东巴，一般年事已高，东巴文化的传承人，有智者和能人的美誉，是小东巴的师父。该片历 经六年拍摄，跨越滇川两省，徒步茶马古道，翻越横断山脉，跨过无量河。寻找纳西族古老的东巴仪式文化，探访世袭东巴的传人，找寻濒危的东巴文化仪式。本片 以一个盲人大东巴、达祖古老仪式、俄亚两位世袭大东巴三条线为主线，记录那些不为人知繁琐神秘的仪式。是一部绝无仅有的影像文化人类学的纪录片，它陈述一 个民族濒临失传的真实、珍贵、罕见的特有的文化。采用田野调查实录的形式，深度挖掘纳西族掌管象形文的东巴们与生产生活间的相息关系、东巴濒危仪式、祭司 东巴的神秘智慧、以及东巴在仪式过程中罕见的现象等。
Part of the 5th Annual REEL CHINA Documentaries Biennial Series