Toward An Illustration of Mustangi Culture: In Conversation With Sophie Dia Pegrum (Director, Talking To The Air, International Selection at #KIMFF)

Toward An Illustration of Mustangi Culture: In Conversation With Sophie Dia Pegrum (Director, Talking To The Air, International Selection at #KIMFF) 

 

 

 

1) What was the inspiration and point of departure for your film, Talking To The Air?

 

 "The film is about Mustangi culture  - specifically, through the lens of the horse. It is a dialogue and an illustration of development, culture and history. A fragile culture is not something that can be preserved in a museum. I am primarily a visual artist and a cinematographer and so the backdrop of Mustang was especially inspiring.  The film asks as many questions as it answers but most importantly: How will young people preserve their culture? Talking To The Air is not a statement film;  it is really a portrait made for the people of Mustang. 

 

When I visited Kathmandu years ago, I came across a book of water colours by Robert Powell called "Earth:Door:Sky:Door". Powell's otherworldly illustrations of Mustang were the beginning of my research into the Mustangi way of life. Mustang has one of the the last, rare, living horse cultures in the world. I felt compelled to tell this story because the horses are an integral part of life there. While I was preparing for the film, I began to appreciate both the remoteness of the place and its value - as a record of an equine culture facing globalization. 

 

Documentary can be amorphous; one never knows what one is going to get in terms of the narrative itself and the film. Despite having a structural idea, one has to be flexible and willing to adapt at all times. The landscape of Mustang itself is so vast and expansive - capturing it is not an easy task. I have tried to be as cinematic as possible - using time lapses and wide epic shots combined with intimate frames of people and horses. The camera moves in a specific and reserved way."

 

 

2) How was your experience of filming in the Nepali mountains and are there any memorable moments you would like to share?

 

 "I met some village folks from near Muktinath one day. I wanted to capture them riding the horse along a ridge with the Dhaulagiri Range as the backdrop.  As we reached the top, the clouds suddenly shrouded Dhaulagiri and it began to rain.  I was momentarily disappointed but as we turned around to look the other way, there was a huge rainbow that went across the entire valley. If you see the poster of the film, you will see this moment. The opportunity to capture such moments and places is a different sort of gift."

 

 

 

3) Given the sensitive nature of the issues, does the film intend to capture the story or the people of the story?

 

"In the film, the horse is a way of looking at the history of Mustang, of looking at people's lives and of looking at spirituality. That is the centre of the wheel. A key theme is how the Mustangi civilization would have struggled without the horse. The film analyses, deflectively, how the roads are changing a dynamic landscape and people. The Yartung Festival in Mustang is a horse festival that takes place post-monsoon. It is a celebration of the re-establishment of social hierarchy via horse racing. We also follow a few young riders and experience their trials and celebrations as maverick riders. So, really, the film captures both the story and the people."

 

 

 

4) As a filmmaker, what are some of your lasting impressions of Nepal which might inspire you to return and make yet another film?

 

"Nepal is a country of incredibly beautiful places and people. The people are open, warm and willing to share their lives and stories. There are profoundly interesting stories to tell here. The country has immense potential and strength but there are so many political pressures. The key to change is education and empowerment. Unlike in many other places, the Nepali people are trying hard to look to the future. As a woman filmmaker and cinematographer, I find that storytelling is empowering and I would love to share my experience and skills with other young filmmakers. A young Nepali woman once asked me if I could teach her to use a camera. I did and, a year later, I met her again and found that she was using the camera which was incredibly rewarding. Great film exhibits perfectly the art of storytelling and the art of using the camera."

 

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