Himalayan films on this week

Press, 1 June 1977, Page 11

Himalayan films on this week

A 200-mile trek through the world’s deepest valley was one of the labours necessary in the production of a series of unusual films, which will be shown in Christchurch this week. Mr Michael Dillon, of Australia, has made several films on the Himalayan region, and three of these will be included in the “Himalayan Film Festival,” at the Ngaio Marsh Theatre tomorrow and Iriday. . Mr Dillon, who is 30, will Euce the programme — will be the same on bath evenings — with a film featuring scenes in the domestic lives of Nepal’s living goddesses. “A Himalayan Journey” was the first film he made on the area, which was to become a source of fascination for him. He made the film during a trek with a group of Australians and New Zealanders through a 200-mile valley to * ' 6.000 ft peak overlooking Tibet. The film was bought by BBC. Television four days after completion. Mr Dillon returned to the Himalayas early last year to make “People of Everest,” a film about a winter’s day in the life of the Sherpa people of the Mount Everest region, combined with a day in the life of a group of trampers touring the high yak pastures. This film was also bought by 8.8. C. Television. Two other films, “Nepal” and “Raju the Guide,” will be included in the festival. Mr Dillon had to sleep with

i | his camera in Nepal to pre-j y I vent it freezing up, he said in - Christchurch yesterday. But a one of the main problems in ijmaking “A Himalayan Jour-j i ney” was that he could not| spend much time setting up! -i shots. “The shooting had toj s'be done at four miles an j hour,’’ he said, meaning that! .set distances had to be! walked every day and little I j time could be taken off for; j i shooting. I Mr Dillon is Michael Dillon I I Film Enterprises. “I cannot | _ afford to employ anyone! , else.” His income from film-. n ling “is not much above the . basic wage,” and any money| e he makes from his film sales ’ or screenings goes into his ./next film. He hopes to go with Sir! e Edmund Hillary on his jet 3 boat trip down the Ganges in ' India, from its source to the! sea. “It will either be TVI! a or me, but it is still being negotiated.” s Although film-making is a 0 glamorous - sounding job! ? there was a lot of drugery involved, he said. Many hours l /had to be spent in a tiny; s room editing the film and there was a lot of work in-! e volved in planning a public o screening tour such as the a one he is on. n But he has no wish to e make the drama films which i, sell well on Australian telee vision. He pilfers to make s documentaries, although he k has not yet managed to sell one of his own films to: ,t television in Australia. ! i The biggest feather in his ’’ cap so far is the winning oft II the “Sports Documentary of the Year” award from Aush, Italian television, last year/