Project Description
Length: 11mins32sec
Director: Valentina Ippolito
Cast:
Set in the thickly forested mountains of Guizhou Province among the wooden houses of the Miao people of Basha village, The Last Chinese Warriors is an episodic short film exploring the gendering of Miao warrior culture throughout the circle of life, as seen through the outsider lens of a female European filmmaker. The film represents Miao men as caregivers and pillars of strength in their society. Beginning with the end of life, the film deconstructs the male Miao journey into five distinct phases: death, senescence, adulthood, youth, and birth. Drawing on symbols representing aspects of these five life stages, including trees, shotguns, the topknots on the men’s heads, and the shaving ceremony, the film progressively reveals Basha’s cultural traditions and male roles in the village and at home.
