movie – Journo James's Journal

“Summer Pasture” Filmmaker Lynn True

Post author:journojames
Post published:February 13, 2012
Post category:Entertainment & Culture Interview

Originally published Mar. 1, 2011

LOS ANGELES – In the documentary “Summer Pasture,” a hard-working young wife, Yama, points out to her husband with mild annoyance that “no one was watching over our yaks.” Locho, her husband, a herder who seems to spend more time in front of a mirror checking his own complexion than his grazing animals, blames their runaway “naughty horse” for taking him away from his herding duties.

SummerPastureLowResdoc.org — Scene of nomadic life from “Summer Pasture,” Photo courtesy of Documentary.org

“Little things like that are really telling of a typical couple,” said Lynn True with an amused smile, the producer and director of the movie. “That’s what I was looking for.”

There are a number of scenes like this one throughout the movie and it was revealing in many ways.

“Summer Pasture” offered an intimate glimpse of Tibet and traditional nomadic life in the 21st century, which is seldom seen by outsiders. But, it also showed that, despite the faraway setting, the every day struggles, worries, and hopes of the young Tibetan couple and their infant daughter were largely universal and easily recognizable. (more…)

Tim Disney Profile

Post author:journojames
Post published:February 5, 2012
Post category:Entertainment & Culture Feature Interview

Originally published Feb. 20, 2011

LOS ANGELES – “It’s a David and Goliath story,” said Tim Disney, the executive producer of the environmental documentary “The Last Mountain.”

Scene from “the Last Mountain,” Photo courtesy of Fastertimes

The movie is about the Coal River Valley, West Virginia citizens’ fight to save one last Appalachian Mountain ridge from being blown up and strip-mined for coal. He said the movie was a “project of passion.”

Disney, who considers himself an environmentalist, told a group of USC Annenberg students during an interview session that the movie’s purpose was to give the people of Coal River Valley a voice.

“We tried to tell the personal stories of the locals who lived on the mountain. That was what was most compelling,” said Disney. “I’m very proud that I’ve been given the opportunity to do something like this.” (more…)