- Tinle (Thinlen Lhondup) to Karma (Gurgon Kyap) upon the salt caravan returning with Tinle's dead son.
"When he shouts, men and beasts bow their heads and walk."
- Pema (Lhapka Tsamchoe) to Norbou (Karma Tenzing Nyima Lama), referring to Tinle's (Thinlen Lhondup) leadership of the caravan.
Entertainment Reviews:
New York Times - 06/22/2001
"...Exquisitely filmed....Stunning vistas and some witty and affecting moments..."
Los Angeles Times - 05/25/2001
"...An absorbing film, HIMALAYA represents a formidable challenge well met..."
Chicago Sun-Times - 07/06/2001
"...A film of unusual beauty and enormous intrinsic interest..."
Entertainment Weekly - 07/20/2001
"...[A] peaceful film....Pretty in a respectful, 'National Geographic' sort of way, tuneful with a pasteurized world beat, and momentarily even a true cliff-hanger..."
Product Description:
It is caravan time in Dolpo, high in the Himalayas of Nepal. The villagers must trek for days across the mountains with laden yaks to trade their salt for grain. But when Karma (Gurgon Kyap) returns to the village with the body of Lhakpa, leader of the caravan and son of the old chief Tinle (Thinlen Lhondup), the new chief blames Karma for the death, and will not allow him to lead in Lhakpa's place. Though Tinle's grandson, Tserin (Karma Wangiel), is far too young to lead the tribe, Tinle simply renames him Passang--a chief's name--and prepares him to lead the caravan. Karma challenges Tinle, threatening to take away the yaks, Lhakpa's widow Pema (Lhapka Tsamchoe), and Passang before the day that the caravan begins. Old Tinle in turn visits the monastery to gather his son, Norbou (Karma Tenzing Nyima Lama), a frescoe-painting monk, to join him on the caravan. But Norbou refuses to join his father, and Tinle returns to the village to discover that Karma has left early, taking most of the caravaneers with him. Tinle, Pema, Passang, the late-arriving Norbou, and the old men of the village leave on the scheduled day, and leading their own caravan in an effort to end the rivalry that threatens every resident of Dolpo.
Plot Keywords:
Desert |
Religious Beliefs |
Theatrical Release
Production Notes:
Theatrical release: June 22, 2001
The excellent sound design for HIMALAYA was recorded by Denis Guilhem and Denis Martin.
HIMALAYA was nominated for the 2000 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
HIMALAYA was awarded the César for Best Cinematography and Best Original Music. The Dolpo region of Nepal, where HIMALAYA was filmed on location, is located in the Northwest Himalayas.
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