The Chanting Shaman

June 2024 | Documentary Short | 8mins | China

Living on the mountainous border between China and Myanmar, Ai-Cong, the last Bacai priest of the Wa tribe, sings about his people’s enduring culture

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Directed & Cinematography by: Peter Zheng

Executive Producer: Zheng Jiang

Cinematography Consultant: Li Junhu

Produced by: Liu Jinshu

Edited by: Liu Yang

"The Wa ethnic group, without a written language, have preserved its culture for over two thousand years through speech, stories, songs, and music. Despite CCP efforts to assimilate them into modern Han-led China, the Wa people have held onto their heritage with remarkable resilience.

They are still singing melodies of hope: voices that have echoed through millennia."

---Peter Zheng Director's Statement

New York International Film Awards

Best Documentary Short
Best Biographical Film
Best Ethnographical Film
Best Scenography
Best Editing
Honourable mention - Best Inspirational Film

WRPN.TV Short, Tight and Loose Global Film Festival Competition

Excellence

Direction: Outstanding Excellence
Content/Message delivery: Excellence
Viewer impact/Inspirational: Excellence
Viewer impact/Entertainment: Excellence
Cinematography, Editing: Excellence

Indie Short Fest

Best Young Male Filmmaker
Outstanding Achievement Award (Documentary Short)
Best Cinematography
Best Editing