Directing
A Bhutanese community living in Darjeeling since 1865, only fifteen kilometres from the Bhutan border
When Bill Clinton agreed to visit Bangladesh in March 2000, the Bangladesh government began the biggest clean-up operation of Dhaka since 1971. This is a diary of a cynical journalist assigned to discover what the man-on-the-street thinks of the hoopla.
Why do we accept huge levels of inequality and social injustice? This is one of the central questions that The Price of Fairness sets out to answer, beginning with a surprising set of social experiments in Norway, which suggest that our willingness to support systems of inequality is far greater than we are often prepared to admit. In Atlanta, we take a different look at fairness, from the perspective of a group of capuchin monkeys. Behavioural scientist Sarah Bronson's work with the monkeys questions the idea that we have an evolutionary tendency towards selfish behaviour. Could it be that the outrage we feel towards systems of inequality have roots in our human need for cooperation? Touching on issues of economic, political, racial and gender inequality, this film offers a thought-provoking and timely look at what fairness really means to us.
An American photographer, who has lived in Katmandu for many years, accompanies the Bon monk Gelek on his journey to the origin of the kingdom of Zhang Zhung, where the Bon religion realized its golden age hundreds of years ago. Their way leads them along mystic places, holy locations and to the most holy of all mountains, to the Kailash in the west of Tibet. During their journey on foot, they meet Dhamis (oracles) and shaman priests; together they form a mixed group of most contrary characters. Hardly anyone knows that the Bon religion is not only completely different from Buddhism but also much older.
A Man Called Nomad is a story of a man trying to adjust to the shifting realities of the modern world, whilst retaining within his family a sense of place. Looking into the life of 30-year old Choegatar, father and provider, we get a glance into a world where temptations of the town interfere with natural life. This is an honest portrayal of life, shown with an unrivaled backdrop of beauty.
This is not a film about men versus women. Beyond Men and Masculinity explores how men see themselves, how they relate to the people they say they care about and how the personal impacts the political. What happens when men are taught to disconnect from their feelings in the name of being strong and independent? What is the link between shame and male violence? Why do we find it hard to value kindness and compassion in men? And what role do women play in defining what is expected from men and masculinity? A discussion of these sometimes uncomfortable questions is now more crucial than ever. From the therapy room to the political battlefield, this provocative film offers a clear insight into why we must look beyond traditional definitions of men and masculinity.
