Short Films/Media Art

Y Na Na
"This film is an exquisitely rendered montage of imagery and sound portraying the women of four indigenous groups living in remote parts of southwest China and Tibet: The Dai People of sub-tropical Xishuangbanna, the pious Tibetan women from the rooftop of the world, the once-upon-a-time matriarchal Naxi society, and the ancient Bai kingdom of Lake Erhai. These ancient cultures form a timeless world ages away from Western civilization." - Film Arts Festival 1992

Excerpt from Y Na Na

As well as opening a window on another land and culture, Torell opens a window on history. The faces of these women seem to peer at us through time itself. Y Na Na isolates moments of daily life, both sacred and mundane, which have remained untouched for centuries. It illustrates a way of life suffused with a richness of spirit missing from contemporary western culture.

Screenings:
The Mill Valley Film Festival
The Film Arts Foundation Festival
The Hawaii International Film Festival
The Athen's International Film Festival
The Visual Studies Workshop
New American Makers
KCSM-TV, 1998
Y na na won the Audience Favorite award
and a Grand Prize at the
1999 U.S. Super 8mm Film and Video Festival

20 Minutes

Super 8mm/Video