Laos through the eyes of young Luang Prabang film makers
The other night I was lucky enough to attend a showing of short films created by film making students at My Library in Luang Prabang. The films shown ranged in length and subject, humorous to thought provoking, and even included some stop motion animation.
It was a great taster for the upcoming Luang Prabang Film Festival and a reminder of the impressive, and often award winning, work being produced by these students. While some films had been shown during last year’s festival a number were new and some were being held back to be debuted during this year’s festival.
A favourite of mine because I have known these novices for some time.
Back in 2012, with the help of local professional Adri Berger and funding from the Asia Foundation for equipment, 3 Lao students started on a film making course at My Library. Two of those students, Yazeng Ly and Ka Xiong, are now teaching the course and the other, Nou Moua, has gone on to produce a number of short films in his native Hmong language. Having Lao teachers who have come through the course themselves is vital in creating a sustainable future and in showing potential new students just what is possible if they have the drive and ambition.
My Library Youtube Channel featuring films by Yazeng Ly and Ka Xiong as well as other students.
The course has grown and this year has 18 students, including women and novice monks.
Held over summer it is a 5 week course with the first 2 weeks spent learning the mechanics of film making such as equipment, storyboarding and editing and then in the final 3 weeks the class is split up into groups of 4 and student films are created.
Carol Kresge, the driving force behind My Library, believes that developing young Lao film makers is a way for local people to have a voice in a culture that does not have a strong literary history. Books are rare in village life but seeing stories produced in their own language and in a familiar setting is a viable way to bring educational subjects to a larger audience.
A number of films on the My Library youtube channel present basic science or mathematics in a form much easier to digest than a textbook; a maths lesson hidden in the form of a card trick or basic science in a practical experiment that can be reproduced at home.
It also gives young Lao film makers an opportunity to explore their own culture and ethnic diversity and to show a way of life far from the tourist strip. These are stories set in the real Laos.
Carol hopes to one day have internationally renowned Laos film makers and knows that this will be built on a solid platform of grass roots film making.
If you are in Luang Prabang and have a knowledge of film making that you would like to pass on to eager students then please call in and have a chat.