𝕃𝔸𝕄𝕌.film ☾
LOGLINE
A young Tibetan trader, Tenzin, is on his way to deliver goods alone when he stumbles upon a stranger who asks for his help. Still, the stranger's unusual mannerisms make Tenzin doubt his real identity.
SYNOPSIS
Tenzin travels alone across the infamous Tibet badlands to deliver goods to the East. A snowstorm forces him to spend the night at an abandoned wooden cabin. When a shepherd asks Tenzin for shelter, Tenzin is suspicious, but he lets the unarmed man in. From his conversation, Tenzin recognizes the shepherd’s people; they have committed bad and bloody acts in the past. The shepherd only sarcastically remarks that Tenzin thinks he is better than him. Tenzin admits that he is not perfectly good. At this point, two young hearts, with honesty, find a glimmer of warmth in this cold blizzard, and they promise to each other the following day, they will have a fresh start of new life…
However, the shepherd belongs to the darkness of his past. Tenzin's goodness and kindness come close to reaching him but the shepherd cannot resist his inner hatred and brutality. He eats Tenzin's cherished pony, betraying Tenzin's naive trust.
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
In the stories that Tibetan elders use to scare children into behaving, we were told if went out alone , ghosts wandering the wilderness would take us away. These childhood ghost stories were usually very one dimensional; the devil was always the villain and the brave warrior, the stainless hero. Devils are not mere attackers but ambiguous seducers who do not believe in the goodness. They are committed to awakening humanity’s primitive desire and brutal nature. They remind people of their dark past to justify the devil who devours prey to a righteous judge.
During the covid-19 quarantine period, people had more time to be alone with themselves, along with their past. Finally, people realize everything is a gift. They wanted to escape from their mistakes and believe that people they lost could return. This is one of the strongest emotions I felt from the people around me during the past two years of chaos, and this is what I hope will resonate with those who see the film.
”There’s no fresh start, life carries on."
BASIC INFO
Genre : Drama, Horror
Duration : 23m 54s
Language: Tibetan
Subtitle Available: English
Aspect Ratio:1920x798
Codecs:AAC,H.264
Production Country: CHINA
CAST
LHANGMO GA as Tenzin
CAI BUDAN as Shepherd
BARRON as Monk
DAMBA DHARGEY as Dancer
KEY CREW
Producer: Damchoe Tsering, Lamu Shangchoo
Exclusive Producer: Yeshe Dolma, Damba Shamu
Director: Lamu Shangchoo
Director of Photography: Evan Feng
Sound Design: Carol Li
Sound Mixer and Foley: Kai Liang
Composer: Nana Simopoulos
VFX Supervisor: Jee Eun Lee
Art Director: Cili Ji
Thesis Advisor: Jenna Ricker
Shot on Location in Mugecuo Nature Park, the city of Kangding.
AWARD & SCREENINGS
Museum of the Moving Image, First Look 2022
DGA Student Film Awards (27th) Best Women Student Filmmaker 2022
RHODE ISLAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (2021)
INDEPENDENT SHORTS AWARDS (2021) Awarded Excellence (Special Jury Mention) & Platinum for Best Student Short
VENICE SHORTS (2021) Honorable Mention Cinematographer & Best Student Film
ROMA SHORT FILM FESTIVAL (2021) Best Student Film
ONIROS FILM AWARDS (2021 September) Best Cinematography
Selected:
Kosice International Film Festival 2021
New York Tri-State International Film Festival 2021
ARFF Berlin International Awards 2022
8th AUFF Asian University Film Festival 2023
2nd 世界游牧短片展 World Nomadic Short Film Exhibition 2023