GHOSTS OF OUR FOREST
Price: $350.00 Code: 2564 |
Directed by Daniel Roher
2017, 65 minutes
Purchase $350 | Classroom rental: $125
In 1992, the indigenous pygmy Batwa people of Uganda were forcefully removed from their ancestral homes by the government to protect the endangered gorilla population. Left with no compensation or resettlement plans, most Batwa people now live in poverty, forced to make a living by guiding tourists through their old homes. With the Batwa population rapidly dwindling, 24-year-old Gad Semejeri starts the Batwa Music Club. By singing and dancing the spiritual and traditional songs that speak out against the injustices the tribe has endured, the band hopes to retain and reclaim their cultural heritage. Deftly weaving rapturous tales of traditional life from Batwa elders, stories of the Batwa Music Club’s daily struggle for survival, and original songs performed by the band, Ghosts of Our Forest is a remarkably sensitive and intimate portrayal of a people whose physical connection to nature has been forcefully severed but remains alive through song and story.
OFFICIAL SELECTION - Big Sky Documentary Film Festival
2017, 65 minutes
Purchase $350 | Classroom rental: $125
In 1992, the indigenous pygmy Batwa people of Uganda were forcefully removed from their ancestral homes by the government to protect the endangered gorilla population. Left with no compensation or resettlement plans, most Batwa people now live in poverty, forced to make a living by guiding tourists through their old homes. With the Batwa population rapidly dwindling, 24-year-old Gad Semejeri starts the Batwa Music Club. By singing and dancing the spiritual and traditional songs that speak out against the injustices the tribe has endured, the band hopes to retain and reclaim their cultural heritage. Deftly weaving rapturous tales of traditional life from Batwa elders, stories of the Batwa Music Club’s daily struggle for survival, and original songs performed by the band, Ghosts of Our Forest is a remarkably sensitive and intimate portrayal of a people whose physical connection to nature has been forcefully severed but remains alive through song and story.
Subjects & Collections
African Studies Music Anthropology Indigenous Studies 2017 Dance Environmental Studies Performing Arts Loud Roar Productions
Festivals & Awards
OFFICIAL SELECTION - HotDocs 2017OFFICIAL SELECTION - Big Sky Documentary Film Festival