“The Sound of Dali” is a documentary to listen to – an audiovisual symphony, where the image is a complementary and auxiliary element in the relationship with sound.
This documentary film is the second in the Dali trilogy directed by Zhang Yang, after “Up the Mountain“.
At Dali, we see all the seasons pass, represented by the cycle of the life of the animals, of the plants, all in a single splendid scenario that joining creates a magical and fascinating symphony of nature.
The natural and human landscapes of Dali in Yunnan are part of a fantastic and symbiotic rhythm. The sounds of nature, as well as those of people living in the area, are reorganized in such a way as to create a symphonic harmony of natural and human origins. All sounds participate in the musical composition.
The director transforms himself into an orchestra conductor to direct the various sounds like the whistle of the wind, the beating of the birds’ wings or their chirping, alternating with the sonorous rhythms of the workers who build the typical houses of the area, the music instruments, the art and crafts, batiks, the work in the fields, the rural society, the daily life of farmers, markets, etc …
“I want to reflect rural life through the lens and record the changes in a small village from an anthropological and sociological perspective.”
In the human concert, there is sound space for local festivals, traditional rituals, but also for the voices of different religions, traditional and modern concerts, cultural integration, nature trips, sport, students who go to school, etc …
We can also hear the sounds of modernity: the tourist center with nightclubs, culinary attractions, and youth entertainment. The only discordant notes are those of the new noisy construction site that with bulldozers seems to threaten the harmonious peace that has been created over the years between man and nature.
Zhang Yang takes up the theme of humans, nature, and faith. The director helps the viewer to immerse themselves perfectly in Dali’s musicality, in a complete journey through space and time. The concept of sound is expressed universally, but at the same time, Dali appears in a unique and particular aura.
The Sound Of Dali entered for the best documentary film award at 22° Shanghai International Film Festival’s
Bai people live in an environment area where there are harmony and space for everything and everyone: a very unique spiritual place of its kind for China, for Asia, and even for the entire planet.
The film was shot by a team of 20 people for a whole year. The parallel montages show the wide panorama of the local world, the beauty of nature, and the splendid images underline the profound connection of man with the world of nature through sound, which is a common element of life in all its forms.
The sound of the dancing clouds almost leads to wonder when was the last time you had the chance to see such a beautiful sky. Those who have had the fortune of visiting Yunnan know these glimpses, while those who look out for the first time through the director’s goal, might feel the desire to see this marvelous vastness with their own eyes.
The Sound of Dali a documentary that examines the natural beauty surrounding Dali in Yunnan province.
The fluidity of the room and the use of drones also for filming from above make it possible to enter perfectly into the places and the scenes in the immediate moment in which the events occur, facilitating the viewer in the approach of change and the harmonious transformation of nature.
Thanks to Fortissimo Films