Himalaya (film)

Infobox Film
name = Himalaya


caption =
director = Eric Valli
writer = Jean-Claude Guillebaud,
Eric Valli
composer = Bruno Coulais
starring = Thilen Lhondup,
Gurgon Kyap
Lhakpa Tsamchoe
producer = Christophe Barratier,
Jacques Perrin
distributor = Kino International
budget =
released = 13 September 1999 (USA)
runtime = 108 min
language = Tibetan, German
imdb_id = 0210727

"Himalaya" ( _ne. हिमालय), 1999, also known as "Himalaya - l'enfance d'un chef" and as "Caravan", is a Nepalese movie directed by Eric Valli and was funded through France-based corporations. It was the first Nepalese film to be nominated in the Best Foreign Film category at the 72nd Academy Awards.

Himalaya is an epic adventure story set against the staggering backdrop of the Nepalese Himalayas. At an altitude of five thousand meters in the remote mountain province of Dolpo, Himalaya is the story of an ancient tribe who lead a caravan of yaks across the mountains, carrying salt from the high plateau down to the plains. It tells the classic tale of rivalry between an aging chieftain and the young daring herdsman challenging his leadership and the affections of his family.

The film is a sort of western - a Tibetan western - a universal and timeless saga of power, pride and love. The extreme environment of the Himalayas is magnificently contrasted to the delicacy of humanity and the beauty of Tibetan culture.

Himalaya was shot in widescreen over nine months on location in a region that can only be reached on foot, with all characters played by real chiefs, lamas and local villagers. Director Eric Valli has lived in Nepal since 1983 and is also a photographer and author. His work is regularly published in National Geographic, GEO and Life magazines.

The film depicts not only the life style of the Dolpo people on the Tibetan Plateau but also their traditional customs, for example celestial burial.

External links

*imdb title|id=0210727|title=Himalaya