Film review

The great New Zealand movie Forgotten Silver. Directed by Peter Jackson and Costa Botes; produced by Sue Rogers. Featuring Sam Neill, Leonard Maltin, etc. Made by Wingnut Films, Wellington, 1995; 52 mins. Available in NTSC and PAL VHS. World sales: New Zealand Film Commission, P.O. Box 11546, Wellington, New Zealand. Tel: +64–4‐382–7680; fax: +64–4‐384–9719. North American distributor: First Run Features, 153 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10014; Tel: (212) 243–0600; fax: (212) 989–7649. Rental/sale, US $250.     

Walker Evans: Florida

Six Views of a Greek Village Everyday is not a Feast Day (1980, color, 110 minutes; video sale, $150) Thread of the Needle (1982, color, 22 minutes; video sale, $50) Let's Get Married! (1985, color, 35 minutes; video sale, $60) My Family and Me (1986, color, 65 minutes; video sale, $100) A Hard Life (1988, color, 55 minutes; video sale, $90) Charcoal‐Makers (1990, color, 30 minutes; video sale, $55) Filmmaker‐anthropologist: Colette Piault. All films available in 16mm, 1/2‐in. video. Distributed by Les Films du Quotidien, 5 rue des Saints‐Pères, 75006 Paris, France. Tel: 1–42 60 25 76; fax: 1–42 61 67 92); or Dr. Peter Allen, 98 Transit Street, Providence, R.I. 02906 (Tel: 401/274–2397; fax: 401/456–8379).

The Nehru Dynasty Life and Death of a Dynasty Produced by Anne and Robert Drew; narrated by Cliff Robertson. 1991, 90 minutes, color and black‐and‐white, 1/2” videotape, narration in English. Distributor: Direct Cinema Limited, P.O. Box 10003, Santa Monica, CA, 90410. Tel: (800)525–0000; Fax: (313)396–3233. Institutional sale, $195.00; rental $85.00.     

Film review

Jungayi—Caring for Country Jungayi—Caring for Country. Directed and edited by Penny McDonald; produced by Claire Smith; camera: Warwick Thorne; sound: George Hanna. English narration and subtitling of Jawoyn and Ngalkbon languages. Distributed by International Federation of Rock Art Organisations, PO. Box 216, Caulfield South, Vic., Australia 3162.1992, 27 minutes, color, VHS‐NTSC and VHS‐PAL, sale U.S. $32.     

From the heart of the world

From the Heart of the World—The Elder Brothers’ Warning. Director: Alan Ereira; camera: Bill Broomfield; editor: Horacio Queiro; sound: John Wills. 1990, color, 87minutes VHS‐NTSC, VHS‐PAL. English narration and subtitles. Distributed by BBC Enterprises, 80 Wood Lane, London W12 OTT; or Mystic Fire Video, 225 Lafayette Street, Suite 1206, New York 10012; sale only, £12 or $29.95 + $4.00 postage. Ereira, Alan, The Heart of the World. London: Jonathan Cape, 1990, bibliography, index, 288 pp., £15.99.     

Film reviews

Frozen tombs of Siberia

The Mystery of the Frozen Tombs of Siberia. Directed by Françoise Lévie; camera, Sacha Wiernik; sound, Sarah Moon Howe; editing, Michèle Maquet; produced by Sofidoc Production. 1994,26 minutes, color and black & white, English narration.

Imbalu, a ritual of manhood

Imbalu: Ritual of Manhood of the Bagisu of Uganda. A film by Richard Hawkins and Suzette Heald; director: Richard Hawkins; camera: David and Judith MacDougall; editor: Suzette Heald and Richard Hawkins; sound: Jack Reed. 1988, 95 minutes, colour, PAL video, Lugisu and English. Rental [UK only]: £9.00 (VHS‐PAL); sale: £40/ US$72 (VHS‐PAL), £80/US$110 (VHS‐NTSC) [plus VAT and postage]. Distributor: Royal Anthropological Institute, 50 Fitzroy Street, London, W1P 5HS, U.K.

The earth is our mother

The Earth is Our Mother and The Journey Back (The Earth is Our Mother, Parts I and II). Directed by Peter Elsass; produced by Casablanca Film Group and the Danish National Film Board; camera: Morten Bruus; editing: Niels Pagh Anderson; sound: Morten Bottzau; research: Guillermo Padilla. Distributed by TV2/Danmark Sales, Sortedam Dossering 55A, DK‐2100 København Ø, Denmark (Tel: +45 35 37 22 00; fax: + 45 35 37 22 27). 1987,55 minutes, color. Narration and subtitles in English.     

Film reviews

Beirut: The Last Home Movie Produced and directed by Jennifer Fox; Camera: Alex Nepomniaschy; Sound: Jeff Brown; Editor: John Mullen; Written by Jennifer Fox and John Mullen. Distributed by Circle Releasing Corporation, 2445 M. Street, NW, Suite 225, Washington, DC 20037, USA. Telephone 202–331–3838. 1987, 120 minutes, color, 16 mm, ½” video.

Martin Chambi and the Heirs of the Incas Produced by BBC‐TV in association with Berwich Universal Films; Andy Harris and Paul Yule, directors; Jorge Vignati, camera; Christopher Swayne and Jake Auerbach, editors; production in Peru, Ester Ventura. 1986, 16mm and video, color, 50 minutes, English and Spanish narration with English subtitles. Distributed by Cinema Guild, 1697 Broadway, New York, NY 10019, tele. 212–246–5522. Price: 16mm purchase $795, rental $85; video purchase $495, rental $85.

Family Gathering Producers: Lise Yasui and Ann Tegnell; Director: Lise Yasui; Camera: Robert Yasui, Ray T. Yasui, Lise Yasui, Michael Bailey, and Gerard Hooper; Sound; Patricia Romeu, Ann Tegnell, and Daw‐Ming Lee; Editor: Ann Tegnell; Music: Sumi Tonooka; Performed by Sumi Tonooka and Ronnie Nyogetsu Seldin. 30 minutes, color, 16 mm, ½, ¾” video. Price: Sale: $450 (film); $325 (video); Rental: $60 per day/show (film); $50 per day/show (video). Distributor: New Day Films, 853 Broadway, Suite 1210, New York, NY 10003, USA, 212–477–4604.     

In the Shadow of Hollywood Orientalism: Authentic East Indian Dancing

Jerome Mintz Retrospective: 1968–1986 The Shoemaker. 1978, black‐and‐white, 34 minutes. Pepe's Family. 1978, black‐and‐white, 41 minutes. Perico the Bowlmaker. 1978, black‐and‐white, 45 minutes. The Shepherd's Family. 1978, black‐and‐white, 22 minutes. All produced, directed, and edited by Jerome Mintz; Camera and Sound: Jerome Mintz; Narration: Russ Salmon and Charles Vitaliano. All in Spanish with English voice‐over. 16mm and ½″ VHS video. Distributor: Documentary Educational Resources, 101 Morse Street, Watertown, MA 02172, USA, (617–926–9519).

Carnaval de Pueblo. 1987, color, 58 minutes. Produced, directed, and edited by Jerome Mintz; Camera: Jerome Mintz; Assistant Camera and Sound: Ron Hess; Assistant Editors: Michael Frisino, Carla Mintz, Maria Sendra, and Susan Schwibs; Subtitles: Elaina Frabaschi. 16 mm and ½” VHS video. Distributor: Documentary Educational Resources, 101 Morse Street, Watertown, MA 02172, USA, (617–926–9519).

Romeria: Day of the Virgin. 1986, color, 54 minutes. Produced, directed, and edited by Jerome Mintz; Camera: Jerome Mintz; Sound: Aaron Mintz; Assistant editors: Carla Mintz and Michael Frisino. 16 mm and ½″ VHS video.

An Interview with Jerome Mintz Jerome Mintz is a professor of anthropology at Indiana University, the department from which he received his Ph.D. in 1961. His main areas of interest include ethnographic film, myth and folklore, peasant society, folk religion, revitalization movements, anarchism, and Hasidism. He has conducted extensive field work in Spain as well as with Hasidic Jews in New York. While in the field in Spain, Mintz produced a large body of 16mm film footage and taped interviews between 1968 and 1971. These materials were eventually edited to produce four black‐and‐white films focusing on individuals, their families, and social networks. More recently Mintz has produced two films, Romeria: Day of The Virgin, and Carnaval de Pueblo, which have received widespread attention over the past two years. These films are all discussed in the accompanying review.

My Town—Mio Paese Produced and directed by Katherine Gulla; Camera: In Italy, Peter Sturken, in Massachusetts, Brian Dowley and Frank Lane; Sound: In Italy, Vladimir Lozinski, in Massachusetts, Francis X. Coakley, Nancy Cohen, Margo Garrison, and Dan Jones; Editor: Dan McCabe. Original languages English and Italian, English narration, English subtitles. 1986, color, 26 minutes, ½”, ¾” video. Price: Sale: $330; Rental: $35. Distributor: University of California Extension Media Center, 2176 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA, (415–642–0460).

Ave Maria: The Story of the Fisherman's Feast Produced and directed by Beth Harrington; Camera: Nancy Moloney, Kathy Campbell, Dave Zeland, and Nick Wakefield, 1986, color, 24 minutes, ½″, ¾” video. Price: Sale: $320; Rental: $33. Distributor: University of California Extension Media Center, 2176 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA, (415–642–0460).

Sophia and Her People: Eventful Lives Produced by Peter Loizos with the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation; Directed and edited by Peter Loizos; Camera: Andros Theodora. Original language Cypriot Greek with English subtitles. 1985, color and black‐and‐white, 34 minutes, ½”, ¾” NTSC, PAL video. Distributor: Peter Loizos, Department of Anthropology, London School of Economics, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE, U.K.

Warriors and Maidens: Gender Relations in a Cretan Mountain Village A film by Barry Machin. 1988, color, 51 minutes, ½″ NTSC and PAL video. Sale Price: $310. Original language Greek with English narration and subtitles. Photocopy of monograph is available for $100. Distributor: Meriwa Films, 43 Meriwa Street, Perth 6009, West Australia.

Bride Market of Imilchil Produced and directed by Christian Pierce and Steffen Pierce. Camera: Christian Pierce and Steffen Pierce; Sound: Daniel Hartnett; Editors: Tom Barber, Tom Shaker, Steven Rausch; Production Coordinator: Rebecca Willis; Translator: Mohammed Rdad. 1988, color, 58 minutes, ½” and ¾” video. Distributor: Pierce Productions, 56 Ridgemont Street, Allston, MA 02134, USA, (617–254–0821).

The Kayapó “The Kayapó” (Granada Television's Disappearing World Series). Produced and directed by Michael Beckham. Executive Producer: Rod Caird; Camera: Mike Blakeley; Sound: David Woods; Editor: Paul Griffiths‐Davies; Anthropologist: Terence Turner; Research: Peter Connors; Film Dubbing: John Whitworth; Graphic Design: Valerie Pye. 1987, color, 52 minutes, 35mm. Distributor: Granada Television of England, 36 Golden Square, London W1R 4AH, UK and 1221 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 3468, New York, NY 10020, USA. “The Golden Curse of the Kayapó.” National Geographic Explorer Series. 1988. “Without Borders”. Segment on the Kayapó Indians of Brazil. Turner Broadcasting Systems. 1988. “Os Kayapós Descobrem as Barragens”. Produced and directed by Centro Ecumenico de Documentação (CEDI) and the Kayapó of Gorotire. Camera: Paiakan Kayapó. 1988, color, 120 minutes, ½″ video. Portuguese and Kayapó. Distributor: CEDI, São Paulo, S.P., Brazil.

Consider Anything, Only Don't Cry Produced, directed, and edited by Helen De Michiel; Sound: Vernon E. Norwood. 1987, 22:05 minutes, color, ½” video. Distributor: Intermedia Arts, 425 Ontario Street, SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA, (612–627–4444).

A Song of Air Written, directed, and edited by Merilee Bennett; Production assistance: Australian Film Commission. 1987, 28 minutes, color, black‐and‐white, ½″ NTSC video, narration in English. Distributor: Australian Film Commission, 9229 W. Sunset Boulevard, #6515, Beverly Hills, CA, USA, (213–275–7074).

Marriage, migration and money: Mira Nair's cinema of displacement

So Far from India Produced and Directed by Mira Nair. Camera: Mitch Epstein. Sound: Alexander Griswold. Editor: Ann Schaetzel. 16mm, ½″ video. English subtitles. Distributed by Filmmaker's Library, 124 E. 40th Street, New York, NY 10016, USA, (212–808–4980). Film Price: Sale $750; Rental $75. Video Price: Sale $400.

India Cabaret Produced and Directed by Mira Nair. Camera: Mitch Epstein. Sound: Alexander Griswold. Editing: Barry Alexander Brown. 1985.16mm, ½” video, color, 60 minutes. English subtitles. Distributed by Filmmaker's Library, 124 E. 40th Street, New York, NY 10016, USA, (212–808–4980). Film Price: Sale $850; rental $85. Video Price: Sale $500.

Salaam Bombay! Produced and Directed by Mira Nair. Camera: S. Sissel. Editing: Barry Alexander Brown. Story: Mira Nair and Soom Taraporevala. Screenplay: Soom Taraporevala. 1988, 16mm, 35mm, color, 90 minutes. Distributed by Cinecom, Inc., New York.     

At the other end of the camera

A funeral in Burkina Faso Les Mémoires de Binduté Da [The Memories of Binduté Da]. Directed by Michèle Fieloux and Jacques Lombard; camera: Joseph Guerin; sound: Jacques Lombard; editing: Andrée Davanture. 1990, 52 minutes, color. French narration with English subtitles. Distributed by ORSTOM Audiovisuel, 72 Route d'Aulnay, 93143 Bondy, Cédex, France (prices on request).

Prince charming Prince Charming. Produced by ORSTOM Audiovisuel; Michèle Fieloux and Jacques Lombard, directors; Jacques Lombard, camera; Bernard Oses, sound. 1991, 42 minutes, color, Betacam SP (also available in VHS MultiStandard), Malagasy with English subtitles (French and Malagasy versions also available). Distributor: ORSTOM Audiovisuel; 72 Route dAulnay, 93143 Bondy, Cédex, France.     

Reviews

The Family Album. A film by Alan Berliner. 16mm, 55min, b/w. Distributed by Filmmakers Library, Inc.

Beyond Words—Images from America's Concentration Camps. By Deborah Gesensway and Mindy Roseman. 1987, 176 pages, illustrated. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. Price: cloth $24.95.

The Lau (Granada Television “Disappearing World” Series). A film by Leslie Woodhead, producer‐director; Jon Woods, camera; Ray French, sound; Kimball Horton, editor; David Wasson, researcher; and Pierre Maranda, anthropological consultant. 1987, video, color, 52 minutes. Dialogues: Lau. Subtitles: English. Narration: English. Distributed by Granada TV International, Suite 3468, 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020, tele. 212–242–2363. Price: on application.

Men's Lives: The Surfmen and Baymen of the South Fork. By Peter Matthiessen. 1986, New York: Random House. Price: hardcover $29.95; softcover $7.95 (Vintage Press); limited edition $200 (University of Washington Press, Seattle).

In Her Own Time. A film by Lynne Littman with Barbara Myerhoff. 1986, 16mm, color, 60 minutes. Distributed by Direct Cinema, Ltd., P.O. Box 69589, Los Angeles, CA 90060, tele. 213–652–8000. Price: 16mm—purchase $895, rental $100; video—purchase $350, rental $50 (prices quoted are for educational institutions only).

The Miracle of Intervale Avenue. A film by Irving Rappaport, producer; Ken Howard, director; and Jack Kugelmaas, associate producer. 1983, 16mm, color, 65 minutes. Catalog #430. Distributed by Ergo Media, Inc., P.O. Box 2037, Teaneck, NJ 07666, tele. 201–692–0404.

Some Babies Die. A film by Martyn Landon Down. Australia, 16mm, color, 54 minutes. Distributed by The University of California Extension Media Center, 2176 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94704, tele. 415–642–1340. Price: 16mm—purchase $850, rental $60; video—purchase $450, rental $60.

El Sebou’: The Egyptian Birth Ritual. A film by Fadwa El Guindi; produced by El Nil Research Project; co‐sponsored by the Office of Folklife, Smithsonian Institution. 1986, 16mm, color, 27 minutes. Distributed by El Nil Research Project, 1157 Beverwil Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90035, tele. 213–553–5645. Price: 16mm—purchase $570, rental $70; video—purchase $370. Screenings: Society for Visual Anthropology (1987 Award for Excellence); 1987 Margaret Mead Film Festival; Royal Anthropological Institute (1988 Commendation).

The Making of El Sebou‘

Classified People. Yolande Zauberman, director; produced by OBSESSION/INA/CNC/ FR3‐TOULOUSE; Dewald Aukema, camera; Tony Bensusan, sound; Jean‐François Naudon, editor. 1987, 16mm, color, 53 minutes. Distributed by TELEMONDIS, 15, rue Mesnil, 75016, Paris, tele. 47–27–03–84, telex: 649 078 TELMOND. In U.S., distributed by Filmmaker's Library, 124 E. 40th Street, New York, NY 10016, tele. 212–355–6545. Price: 16mm—rental only $150; video (½″ or ¾″)—purchase $75, rental $75. Screenings: Festival of Women's Films at Créteil (Prix de Jury); Festival of Young Directors at Belfort (Prix de Publique); Bilan du Film Ethnographique 1988 (Prix Nanook/Grand Prix); 1988 Cinéma du Réel; 1987 Margaret Mead Film Festival; U.S. Public Television.

To Cross the Border: An interview with Filmmaker Yolande Zauberman, Paris, May 1988.     

Little Tracker

Little Tracker . Directed by Johan Heynes; camera, Fanie van der Merwe, Jacques Barnard, Thomas van der Merwe; sound, Laura van der Merwe; Fevertree Productions; 2000; 53 mins., color; narration in English, dialogue in Afrikaans. Distributed by ProVision Distribution Network, PO Box 49232, Hercules, 0030, South Africa. Tel: +27-12-3762608; Fax: +27-12-3762119; E-mail: provision@intekom.co.za     

Body in the Dark

The Dancer and the Dance

Producer: National Film and Television School, and Royal Anthropological Institute; Director: Felicia Hughes‐Freeland; Camera: Amy Hardy; Sound and Editing: Felicia Hughes‐Freeland. Distributed by the Royal Anthropological Institute, 50 Fitzroy Street, London W1P 5HS, U.K. Tel: (071) 387–0455; fax (071) 383–4235. 1988, color, 44 minutes, 16mm, 1/2 inch, NTSC, PAL. Rental £27.00 for 16mm, £12.00 for video in U.K. only; for rental elsewhere, and sale prices, enquire of the R.A.I. Film Officer.

Reclaiming the Forest

Producer: National Film and Television School, and Royal Anthropological Institute; Director: Paul Henley; Camera and Editing: Paul Henley; Sound: Georges Brion. 1986–1987, 57 or 39 minutes, color. Distributed by the Royal Anthropological Institute, 50 Fitzroy Street, London W1P 5HS, U.K. Tel: (071) 387–0455; fax: (071) 383–4235. Longer version: sale, £1,210.00; rental, £20.00: 16mm only. Shorter version: sale, £35.00 (PAL) or £52.00 (NTSC), rental £12.00 (PAL), video only. Postage and VAT extra.     

Anceaux's Glasses

The Kayapó (Disappearing World Series) Producer: Michael Beckham; Director: Michael Beckham; Camera: Michael Blakeley; Sound: David Woods; Editor: Paul Griffiths‐Davies; Consultant Anthropologist: Terence Turner; Distributor: Enquiries to Granada Television International, 1221 6th Avenue, Suite 3468, New York, NY 10020 USA, (212) 809–8480. 1987, 52 min., color. Original: 16mm, only available for distribution on video. Language: Original Kayapo, Narration English, Subtitles English.

Independent Films and Videos from Latin America: Producers’ Obstacles, National Diversity, and the Cultural Woes of Their Foreign Audiences Review of Democracy in Communication: Popular Film and Video in Latin America. A catalogue compilation of various videotapes. 1988, color. Original language: Spanish, English subtitles. Distributed by: Karen Ranucci, 124 Washington Place, New York, NY, tele. 212–463–9198.     

Building Season

Building Season in Tiébélé: A Royal Compound in Change, Kasena, Burkina Faso . Produced by Institut für den Wissenschaftlichen Film, 1999; directed by Beate Engelbrecht; anthropologist, Anne-Marie Fiedermutz-Laun; camera, Manfred Krüger, VHS/PAL, color, 98 mins. Subtitled in English. Distributed by Institut für den Wissenschaftlichen Film, Nonnenstieg 72, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany. Tel: +49-551-50240; Fax: +49-551-5022-4400.     

Film reviews

Approach, Theory, and Technique in the Making of Bar Yohai¹

Bar Yohai

Anthropological Film as Celebration

Television Believers

A film by Aaron Ranen, Third Wave Media. 1986, 1/2", 3/4”, NTSC, color, 28 minutes. Distributed by Filmakers Library, Inc., 124 E. 40th Street, Suite 901, New York, NY 10016, USA, tele. 212–808–4980. Price: purchase $300, rental $55.     

Heart of the Country

Heart of the Country, written and directed by Leonard Kamerling; education adviser, William Parrett; presented by the Alaska Center for Documentary Film, University of Alaska Museum, in collaboration with the community of Kanayama, Hokkaido, Japan; 1997. Color videotape, 92 mins. Distributed by First Run/Icarus Films, 21st floor, 32 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA; tel. (718) 488-8900; e-mail: mailroom@frif.com.; video sale, $440.00, rental $100.00.     

Vanaja

Vanaja. Written and Directed by Rajnesh Domalpalli. Produced by Varija Films; Telugu with English subtitles, 2006; color, 110 minutes. Distributed by Emerging Pictures Corp.     

A Semiotic Analysis of The Great Dance -- A Hunter's Story in Relation to Media Representation of the San

The Great Dance -- A Hunter's Story . Produced by Earthrise Productions, 2000. Craig Foster and Damon Foster, directors. VHS/PAL or NTSC, color, 75 mins. English and Italian versions available. Distributor: Off the Fence, Nieuwe Herengracht 31, 1011 RM Amsterdam, Netherands Sale and rental details at http://www.senseafrica.com/greatdance/sales/sales.html     

Film reviews

Bab el‐Oued City Bab el‐Oued City. Directed by Merzak Allouache. 1994. Algeria/ France: Les Matins Films.

Not Without My Veil Not Without My Veil: Amongst the Women of Oman. Produced by Mia Gröndahl; narration, Mia Gröndahl; camera, Allan Persson; sound, Abdalla Lamki; eds., Anders Burman and Johnny Persson; narrator, Pauline Torehall. 1993, 29 minutes, color. English. Distributed by Filmmakers Library, 124 East 40th St., New York, NY 10016.     

The Ecstatic Journey

Photo Wallahs Photo Wallahs, an encounter with photography in Mussoorie, a north Indian hill station. Directed by David and Judith MacDougall; camera: David MacDougall; sound: Judith MacDougall; editor: Dai Vaughan. Distributed by Fieldwork Films, 12 Meehan Gardens, Griffith, Canberra, A.C.T. 2603, Australia. 1991, 58 minutes, color, 16 mm. and PAL.     

Tracking Decorated Ostrich Eggshells in the Kalahari

Two ethnomusicological films

Dor‐Low Is Better

Produced by Centre for Visual Anthropology, University of Amsterdam; Robert Boonzajer, director; Maarten Rens, camera and sound. 1989, 46 minutes, color, ¾”, PAL video, English and Ladakhi. Rental: 65 Gld.; sale: 175 Gld. Distributor: Centre for Visual Anthropology, University of Amsterdam, Oudezijds Achterburgwal 185, Amsterdam 1012 DK, Netherlands, tel: (020)525–2626.

Polka: Roots of Mexican Accordion Playing in South Texas and North Mexico Produced by Centre for Visual Anthropology, University of Amsterdam; Robert Boonzajer, director; Maarten Rens, camera and sound. 1985, 50 minutes, color, ¾”, PAL video, English, Spanish and German; English subtitles. Rental: 65 Gld.; sale: 175 Gld. Distributor: Centre for Visual Anthropology, as above.