Here you can find a selection of movies and videos which staff members of the institute created within or in corporation with the Institue for Ethnology. Please click on the title or the preview-picture to see more information and the video.
Helene Basu documents in this film exchanges between different actors at the Sufi shrine of Mira Datar in North Gujarat (patients-psychiatrists, psychiatrists-ritual specialists, patients-ritual specialists), listens to the stories of afflicted persons and presents diverse views on the presumed causes of mental illness as well on the benefit or non-benefit of medicine and/or ritual practices as perceived by patients and their relatives.
Der Sufischrein von Mira Datar bietet Heilmittel für Menschen, die Krisen durch menschliche Gefühle und Leidenschaften erleiden, etwa durch Neid und Hass – Gefühle auf denen auch Praktiken Schwarzer Magie und Hexerei beruhen.
Interview with the Mexican Tsotsil-Maya artist Ronyk about "indigenous cinema" and reflections on his own short films in the context of issues of "indigenous media". After the interview follows one of his short films, 'Un Día con Rafa', (2013 Engl. Subtitles). (Interview: Florian Walter/Ronyk/Thomas John)
Thomas John follows in this short observational film a team of young mexican indigenous Maya filmmakers shooting a documentary in the Maya-Tzeltal community Tenejapa. The filmmakers get integrated into rituals and also have to take part in ritual drinking sessions.
This 'Making Of' accompanies the Tsotsil-Maya artist "Ronyk" while he is shooting his documentary short "Con las Manos en la Tierra". After the making of part (15 min.) follows Ronyk's short film (15 min.). The making of shows how Ronyk approaches his protagonist Don Sirilo and explains him his ideas and intentions behind the film-project.
Darkmoon deals with indigenous arts in Chiapas (Mexico). It was produced in close collaboration with the local Tzotzil filmmaker "Ronyk". It's an attempt to develop a poetic audio-visual language, to portray the poetic practices & the personhood of the main protagonist, Angelina Suyul, who is a young female Tzotzil poet. Click here to watch the trailer or some excerpts. Click on the title or the picture to see the full movie.
This short film is part of Thomas John's research project concerned with young indigenous media and art practices in Chiapas (Mexico). The Tzotzil-maya filmmaker & painter Ronyk is buiding a homemade steadi-cam, since he will soon travel to his field to visit his protagonist.