Entertainment
Yo-Yo Ma and Pawo Choyning Dorji collaborate on Himalayan climate short film
The 21-minute project filmed at high altitude in Bhutan debuts at the Telluride Film Festival.
The short version
- Cellist Yo-Yo Ma and Bhutanese director Pawo Choyning Dorji collaborated on 'A Song for the Snow Lion,' a 21-minute short film addressing climate change and melting glaciers.
- The production was filmed on location at elevations exceeding 5,500 meters in Bhutan's remote Lunana Valley.
- The film makes its debut at the Telluride Film Festival.
Key facts
- The 21-minute short film 'A Song for the Snow Lion' is directed by Pawo Choyning Dorji and features cellist Yo-Yo Ma.[Variety]
- The narrative uses a traditional Himalayan folktale about mythical snow lions to highlight the ecological threat of vanishing glaciers.[Variety]
- Filming occurred in the Lunana Valley above 5,500 meters, requiring a 14-day trek to access and relying entirely on solar-powered batteries.[Variety]
- Despite experiencing altitude sickness during the shoot, Ma performed a musical piece alongside Bhutanese folk singer Kelden Lhamo.[Variety]
- The film also features 10-year-old Kinley Karma Lhazing from a local yak-herding family, and the audio from a distant glacier collapse was integrated into the final cut.[Variety]