The Saltmen of Tibet

Unlike the recent films about Tibet (Seven Years in Tibet and Kundun) that have come out of Hollywood, The Saltmen of Tibet boasts no famous actors or celebrity protagonists. Instead, the film follows the three-month pilgrimage of four men to the holy salt lakes of the Changtang region. This trip is both a religious experience and an economic necessity for these men, who still follow the ancient traditions of their Tibetan nomadic community. Although director Ulrike Koch does not espouse any overt political message, her contrasting the slow progress of the saltmen with the loud, fast trucks of modern salt gatherers hints at the fragility of the saltmen's way of life, and her deliberate pace conveys the meditative serenity of their lives. Pio Corradi's graceful cinematography frames the saltmen and their yak caravan against the stunning colors and landscape of Tibet.

-- Nicholas Patterson