Dolma and her family live on the banks of the river Zanskar in the Himalayas. 280 kilometres away, her husband Stanzin leads the caravans along dangerous routes, although he dreams of becoming a singer. His destiny is linked to the river which both separates him from and ties him to his wife. The river is the only link that the valley villages have with the outside world and it is practicable only in winter, when the water is frozen. The Lapieds shot this film in this remote part of the world over a whole year to tell us about the life of a small community and the hard but fascinating life of a family in the Himalayas.
Directors
Anne Lapied
Anne and Erik Lapied are directors and travellers who have always shared a passion for the mountains and adventure. In 1976 Erik made an expedition to Afghanistan and to the high valleys of the Himalayas to make a range of reportages. It was during this period that both decided to live in the Alps. Fascinated by the mountains and natural, wide-open spaces, they specialised in the production of documentaries, making a range of exploration films. They have participated in a host of major European film festivals and have won a number of awards in more than ten years in the industry. They have taken part in the TrentoFilmfestival on a number of occasions with Vanoise Alpes en Liberte (1989), Le Grand Retour (1990), L'Ile Blanche (1991), Tetras - Lyre (1994), Le Couloir du Foin (1994), Les Marmottes du Grand Rocher (1997), Les Sentiers du Petit Bonheur (2000), Animal Roc (2002), La Montagne aux Sept Bergers (2006) and Dolma du Bout du Monde (2008).
Véronique Lapied
Veronique (1983) is the daughter of Anne and Erik Lapied. She is an ethnologist and has followed her parents during their travels since she was a little girl. When she finished her studies at the Ecole Supérieure d'Arts in Grenoble, she started working as a film-maker and in 2003 shot the films Zanskar, le Chemin des Glaces and Dolma du Bout du Monde as a co-director.
Erik Lapied
Anne and Erik Lapied are directors and travellers who have always shared a passion for the mountains and adventure. In 1976 Erik made an expedition to Afghanistan and to the high valleys of the Himalayas to make a range of reportages. It was during this period that both decided to live in the Alps. Fascinated by the mountains and natural, wide-open spaces, they specialised in the production of documentaries, making a range of exploration films. They have participated in a host of major European film festivals and have won a number of awards in more than ten years in the industry. They have taken part in the TrentoFilmfestival on a number of occasions with Vanoise Alpes en Liberte (1989), Le Grand Retour (1990), L'Ile Blanche (1991), Tetras - Lyre (1994), Le Couloir du Foin (1994), Les Marmottes du Grand Rocher (1997), Les Sentiers du Petit Bonheur (2000), Animal Roc (2002), La Montagne aux Sept Bergers (2006) and Dolma du Bout du Monde (2008).