Stone Pastures tells the story of a nomadic family living on the Himalayan plateau of Chantang, Ladakh. In this high altitude cold desert, the most inhospitable of environments, father Sonam, mother Phuntsok, old uncle Tsewang, and the boys Padma and Kunsang struggle rearing pashmina goats. This struggle contains a paradox: Ladakh’s gritty, rocky conditions give rise to the finest of materials, pashmina wool. Produced by the nomads’ goats as a warm undercoat, this is the raw material for luxurious Kashmiri shawls, and the family’s only source of income.
The film follows the family through the seasons in the context of their livelihood. Aspiring towards a more comfortable settled life, we find Ladakh’s nomads in a state of transition, between traditional life and modern ways. In Stone Pastures, this transition is seen mainly through the eyes of the family’s sons Kunsang and Padma, as they move away from the life of his ancestors, traveling between the high plateau and boarding school in Leh, Ladakh’s capital.
Information
| Original name |
Kivilaitumet |
| Original language |
Ladakh |
| Subtitles |
English, Finnish |
| Genre |
Documentary film |
| Production year |
2008 |
| Production country |
Finland / Ireland / UK |
| Running time |
65 min |
Crew
| Direction |
Donagh Coleman (also scriptwriter) |
| Script |
Donagh Coleman |
| Cinematography |
Timo Peltonen, Johannes Lehmuskallio, Donagh Coleman |
| Sound recording |
Pentti Venetjoki, Kimmo Vänttinen |
| Sound design |
Douglas Murray |
| Composer |
Linda Buckley, Keith O’Brien |
| Editing |
Breege Rowley |
| Producer |
Jouko Aaltonen |
Screenings and awards
Festivals
- 20.11.2011 Münchner EthnoFilmFest, München Germany
- 26.10.2010 New York Himalaya Film Festival, USA
- 23.10.2010 New York Himalaya Film Festival, USA
- 09.10.2010 European Buddhist Film Festival, The Netherlands
- 21.09.2010 Sardinian Ethnographic Film Festival, Nuoro, Italy
- 01.09.2010 30th NAFA International Film Festival
- 19.11.2009 Arctic & Fabulous
- 29.07.2009 Cervino Cinemountain Film Festival 2009 - Grand Prix Cervino Cinemountain Conseil De La Valee / Italy
- 24.03.2009 Tartu Worldfilm Festival
- 18.03.2009 Festival International Jean Rouch, Paris
- 05.03.2009 Tampere Film Festival
- 05.03.2009 Dialektus Festival, Budapest
- 15.02.2009 Himalaya Film Festival, The Netherlands
- 22.01.2009 DocPoint - Helsinki Documentary Film Festival
- 01.01.2009 Mead Traveling Film Festival 2009/ India
- 01.01.2009 Dublin International Film Festival 2009 / Ireland
- 01.01.2009 Kathmandu Film Festival 2009 / Nepal
- 01.01.2009 London International Documentary Festival 2009 / UK
- 01.01.2009 Yerevan International Film Festival 2009 / Armenia
- 16.11.2008 Margaret Mead Film Festival, New York
- 01.01.2008 Les Diablerets Film Festival
Production
- Jouko Aaltonen, Illume Oy
Collaboration
- Martha O'Neill, Wildfire Films (IRL)
- Beverly Cook, Orchid Pictures (UK)
