A nations battle for life 1925 is a silent documentary film which follows a branch of the bakhtiari tribe of persia today iran as they and their herds make their seasonal journey to better pastures. Sep 21, 2009 dave comerford spoke to marek bogacki at killruddery film festival 2009. Schoedsack shot in siam now thailand and opened in new york in 1927. A nations battle for life is a silent documentary film which follows a branch of the bakhtiari tribe of persia today iran as they and their herds make their seasonal journey to better pastures.
Feb 11, 2018 inspired by robert flaherty s nanook of the north 1920, a documentary film about a nomadic tribe s struggle for existence, in grass cooper and schoedsack filmed the migration of more than 50,000 bakhtiari people taking their herds from the persian gulf to the greener summer pastures of the central persian plateau. A nation s battle for life 1925 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Although many documentary historians consider grass second only to nanook of the north, few people have actually ever seen this legendary film. Rich020669 this is an incredible piece of documentary filmmaking. It is voted the best film of the year by critics in the film daily annual poll. Cooper follows the journey of the bakhtiari, an impoverished nomadic tribe in iran, in their neverending search for. This restored and fulllength version, complete with an authentic new iranian score, will astonish todays audiences with its beautiful photography and heartstopping adventure. You also realize that one of the cameramen had to go first, then turn around and film the migrants. A nations battle for life 1925, which chronicled the annual migration of the bakhtyari people of western persia now iran. A nations battle for life 1925 is a silent documentary film which follows a branch of the bakhtiari tribe of persia today iran as they and their herds make. A nations battle for life 1925 is a documentary film which follows a branch of the bakhtiari tribe of lurs in persia as they and their herds make their.
I even give credit to the goats and sheep, cattle, donkeys, horses and hardworking dogs which managed to haul themselves over that mountain, pushed from behind by the tribes women, in some. Sep 08, 2009 a conversation about the screening of grass. A nation s battle for life 1925 tells the story of the migration of bakhtiari tribe from winter quarters in khuzestan to summer quarters chahar mahaal. This film also tells the story of how these people crossed the. You just have to see it to believe its leader could organize a mass migration of thousands and thousands of people and animals to endure the hardships they would face in order to get to grasslands. A nations battle for life 1925 this moving documentary by merian c. While cooper toured the united states with grass, schoedsack joined explorer william beebes 1925 expedition to. It is never filmed, but is considered a milestone in film history for being the first published film script in china. Grass is a reallife adventure travelogue, in the manner of nanook. Shentu in the shanghai magazine eastern miscellany. A nations battle for life im not sure what made me think of this movie tonight, several years after watching it and thinking about ordering it again because it was soooo good.
Schoedsack hooked up with journalist and sometime spy marguerite harrison and set off to film an adventure. A nations battle for life 1925 cosmolearning anthropology. Hot docs has received filmmaker permission to upload this trailer to the hotdocsfest youtube channel. Spain depicts an ancient nomadic world that is no more. The struggles of a hardscrabble iranian nomadic tribe as they journey through bleak country to reach the grasslands that will save their livestock. Dave comerford spoke to marek bogacki at killruddery film festival 2009. A nations battle for life 1925 made by the future producers of king kong and the second the oscar nominated 1976 documentary film people of the wind narrated by james mason. The festival will also present the classic documentary from 1925 grass. The halfyearly migration of the nomadic bakhyari tribes across the deserts. Ernest schoedsack was working as a cinematographer on that same expedition, just after he had made the film grass. Grass is a real life adventure travelogue, in the manner of nanook.
A nations battle for life at 2009 killruddery silent film festival. A nations battle for life 1925 cast and crew this moving documentary by merian c. A nations battle for life 1925 is a silent documentary film. On imdb tv, you can catch hollywood hits and popular tv series at no cost.
Cooper follows the journey of the bakhtiari, an impoverished nomadic tribe in iran, in their never. A nations battle for life 1925 bakhtiari tribe of persia 31450. Apr 06, 2015 hot docs has received filmmaker permission to upload this trailer to the hotdocsfest youtube channel. It was written by richard carver and terry ramsaye the film is merian c. A nations battle for life photo courtesy cinerama, inc. The river and the mountain climbing scenes are astonishing. Cooper, ernest schoedsack and marguerite harrisons documentation of their journey from. Never would have thought of fording a river the way they do. Hong also directs his first film, young master feng, at mingxing star film company in this year. It is amazing that the bakhtiari group who migrates every year from winter to summer pastures.
As i read this chapter, i could not help but think of certain passages in genesis describing the migrations of the jewish patriarchs and of the classic documentary film grass. The struggles of a hardscrabble iranian nomadic tribe as they journey through bleak country to. The most devastating of these pictures would have to be grass, a harrowing record of human bravery. It is considered one of the earliest ethnographic documentary films. A nations battle for life 1924 natural history nature.
Much of the credit for this astounding film must go to schoedsack, whose camera captured some of the most remarkable outdoor footage of the 1920s. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p hd. A nation s battle for life is a silent documentary film which follows a branch of the bakhtiari tribe of persia today iran as they and their herds make their seasonal journey to better pastures. A reallife precursor to the king kong story, grass features cooper and schoedsack who would make king kong eight years later accompanied by intrepid adventurer marguerite harrison on a dangerous journey.
The screen is split sideways in the meditative overture, the path of the sun begins with an endless line of silhouetted camels dotting the horizon. A nations battle for life 1925 tells the story of the migration of bakhtiari tribe from winter quarters in khuzestan to summer quarters chahar mahaal. Ufapalast am zoo in berlin rebuilt as germanys largest cinema reopens. A nations battle for life synopsis a tribe of persian nomads set out on an annual trek to find greener pastures for their herds. A nation s battle for life 1925 is a documentary film which follows a branch of the bakhtiari tribe of lurs in persia as they and their herds make their seasonal journey to better pastures. Schoedsack, marguerite harrison, at turner classic movies. Select any poster below to play the movie, totally free.
While cooper toured the united states with grass, schoedsack joined explorer william beebes 1925 expedition to the galapagos islands as a cameraman. A nations battle for life 1925 is a documentary film which follows a branch of the bakhtiari tribe of lurs in persia as they and their herds make their seasonal journey to better pastures. Usa alternative title grass, the epic of a lost tribe. A nations battle for life 1925 is a silent documentary film which follows a branch of the bakhtiari tribe of persia today iran as they and their herds make their seasonal journey to. Film historian rudy behlmer audio interview with producer director merian c. This silent movie from 1925 was produced and directed by ernest schoedsack and merian c cooper, who went on to create king kong.
It was written by richard carver and terry ramsaye. A nation s battle for life 1925 cast and crew this moving documentary by merian c. This is one of the most incredible movies i have ever seen. A nations battle for life 1924 filmed on location between turkey and iran, grass is an amazing first ethnographical account of nomadic bakhtiyari people. Made in the l920s, it is the story of the annual migration of the bahktiari tribe. The subjects of this film later also were revisited by landmark documentaries like the harvest of the seasons episode of the charles bronowskis ascent of man series in 1973. Inspired by robert flahertys nanook of the north 1920, a documentary film about a nomadic tribes struggle for existence, in grass cooper and. A nation s battle for life 1925 is a silent documentary film which follows a branch of the bakhtiari tribe of persia today iran as they and their herds make their seasonal journey to better pastures. Mar 06, 2003 this silent movie from 1925 was produced and directed by ernest schoedsack and merian c cooper, who went on to create king kong. A nations battle for life 1925 timeline of historical film. The way of the world is west, but true explorers push the other way. Very honest in what it shows deaths and routine life in their camp were not shown.
A tribe of persian nomads set out on an annual trek to find greener pastures for their herds. A nations battle for life 1925 when robert flaherty unveiled his groundbreaking documentary, nanook of the north 1922, he not only established the basic vocabulary of documentaries, but also started a trend toward reallife, man vs. A nations battle for life 1925 dave comerford documentavi. Both films were selected for preservation in the united states national film registry by the library of congress as being culturally, historically, or. This film also tells the story of how these people crossed the river karun with 50,000 people and 500,000 animals. Beautiful documentary, that as you watch it, realize there is only one camera and two cameramen filming. A nations battle for life, 1925, directed by merian cooper, with merian cooper, ernest b. A nations battle for life this film is a 1925 silent documentary film which follows a clan of the bakhtiari nomads of iran as they and their herds make their seasonal journey to better pastures. The festival offers feature films, documentaries, and shorts produced between 20072010. Third kurdish film festival in paris kurdistan commentary. A nation s battle for life 1925 is a silent documentary film which follows a branch of the bakhtiari tribe of persia today iran as they and their herds make their seasonal journey to.
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