Singing sentiment
Lauren Meeker (Producer), Berkeley Media
"This 'beautifully evocative portrait' documents the life and activities of elderly quan ho folk singer, Nguyen Thi Ban, in Diem Village, Bac Ninh Province, northern Vietnam. As Ba Ban (grandmother Ban) recounts her life story, it becomes clear how closely her life is intertwined with her love of the music, indicating the intimate connection between quan ho folksong and the rhythms of village life. Skillfully weaving together interview material and footage of everyday life, folk song gatherings, and village rituals shot over several years, the film reveals how quan ho singing is a powerful medium for sharing sentiment and for exchanging feelings of love, respect, and humility. The even, slow tempo of the village quan ho singing, the narrow pitch range, and the controlled body language of the singers all belie the intensity of emotions generated through singing partnerships that are cultivated over long periods of time. Adherence to the rules of exchange in the genre is, for these singers, an expression of sentiment (feeling, emotion). Sentiment is not demonstrated openly through words of affection but rather through song and behavior. The strong sentiments created through singing come out strongly in Ba Ban's explanations of her participation in quan ho activities, how she learned to sing, and how she balanced her love of the music with her work and family obligations"--Berkeley Media website
DVD Video, Vietnamese, [2014]
Berkeley Media, Berkeley, California, [2014]