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Ngat is Dead

Ngat is Dead MAIN

Ngat is Dead

Price: $320.00
Secondary Title: : Studying Mortuary Traditions
Filmmaker Name: Christian Suhr, Ton Otto
Film Length: 59 min
Film Year: 2009
Duration: 46-75 min
Decade: 2000s
Secondary Creator: co-directed by Steffen Dalsgaard
Color: color
Region: Oceania
Sharing Discount has been applied

ABOUT

What do anthropologists mean when they claim to study the cultural traditions of others by participating in them? This film follows the Dutch anthropologist Ton Otto, who has been adopted by a family on Baluan Island in Papua New Guinea. Due to the death of his adoptive father, he has to take part in mortuary ceremonies, whose form and content are passionately contested by different groups of relatives. 

Through prolonged negotiations, Ton learns how Baluan people perform and transform their traditions and, not least, what role he plays himself. The film is part of long-term field research, in which filmmaking has become integrated in the ongoing dialogue and exchange between the islanders and the anthropologist.

“Straddling the permeable genres of ethnographic, participatory, and narrator-driven documentary, this one-hour DVD will be an extremely useful teaching resource. It presents anthropological insights prompted by filmmaking grounded in long-term familiarity and involvement with a community. It also demonstrates the benefits of an anthropologically trained film crew. ...As an ethnographic film that demonstrates the value and developing insights of long-term fieldwork, this is excellent.” 
— Mike Poltorak, University of Kent, Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, Volume 16, Issue 4, December 2010


SELECTED SCREENINGS & AWARDS
Freiburger Film Forum, Germany, 2009
Royal Anthropological Institute International Festival of Ethnographic Film, Leeds, England, 2009
Prix du Patrimoine Culturel Immatériel, Jean Rouch International Film Festival, Paris, 2008
Beeld voor Beeld, Bogotá, Colombia, 2008
DIEFF, Delhi International Ethnographic Film Festival, Delhi, India, 2008

CREDITS & INFO

Ngat is Dead

SCREENINGS & AWARDS
13th Mostra Internacional do Filme Etnográfico, Brazil, 2008
IV Moscow International Visual Anthropology Festival, Russia, 2008
VISCULT 2008: The Festival of Visual Culture, Finland, 2008
SIEFF, Sardinia International Ethnographic Film Festival, Nuoro, Italy, 2008
XXII Pärnu International Film Festival, Estonia, 2008
Beeld voor Beeld, Amsterdam, 2008
Days of Ethnographic Film, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2008
Worldfilm: Tartu Festival of Visual Culture, Estonia, 2008
BILAN, Jean Rouch International Film Festival, Paris, 2008
The International Ethnographic Film Festival of Quebec, Canada, 2008
XVI International Festival of Ethnological Film in Belgrade, Serbia, 2007
TIEFF, Taiwan International Ethnographic Film Festival, Taipei, Taiwan, 2007
NAFA, Nordic Anthropological Film Festival in Trondheim, Norway, 2007


Directed by
Christian Suhr 
Ton Otto 

Co-directed by
Steffen Dalsgaard

Research
Ton Otto

Camera and Editor
Christian Suhr

Sound
Steffen Dalsgaard

Translation
Ton Otto 
Steffen Dalsgaard 
Leoni Kanawi
Mela Popeu
Panou Selan 
Sakumai Yep

Sound Mix Facility 
Søren Bendz, Soundmill

Thanks to Ngat Selan's children
Panou, 
Alup, 
Asap, 
Ninou 
Ngi

Thanks for Participation
Sakumai Yep, Silikara Buai, Kalou Solok, Michael Soanin, Joseph Molealeng, Kireng Wari, Sokal Silikara, Paliau Yep and the people of Baluan

Thanks for Advice and Support 
Gary Kildea, Rane Willerslev, Mette Bahnsen, Anne Henderson, Rasmus Stampe Hjorth, Tony Lewis, Peter Crawford, Carsten Meinhardt and Århus Filmværksted

Music Performed by
Ngat Sibenin, Kireng Wari, Poli Papi, Pokut Buamon, Kuam Suelip, Aiwai Salkimut, Ngi Mweri, Ngat Pangkop, Popot Kialou, Yokowei Ngason, Ngi Mweri, Kaluwin Sauka and Seaside Stringband.




RESOURCES & LINKS

View additional documentary photos on flickr.


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