Writer: Roko Belic
Composers: Kongar-ol Ondar, Paul Pena
Starring: Paul Pena, Kongar-ol Ondar, Aislinn Scofield, Richard Feynman, BB King
More info: IMDb
Plot: The extraordinary odyssey of a U.S. musician of Cape Verdean ancestry to Tannu Tuva, in central Asia, where nomadic people throat sing more than one note simultaneously, using vocal harmonics. A bluesman, Paul Pena, blind and recently widowed, taught himself throat singing and was by chance invited to the 1995 throat-singing symposium in Kyzyl. Helped by the "Friends of Tuva," Pena makes the arduous journey. Singing in the deep, rumbling kargyraa style, Pena gives inspired performances at the festival, composes songs in Tuvan, washes his face in sacred rivers, expresses the disorientation of blindness in foreign surroundings, and makes a human connection with everyone he meets.
My rating: 7/10
Will I watch it again? No.
You can't help but like Paul. He's humble and talented as hell. Seeing him on his trip to Tuva and his being among their people is just special. It's something he never expected and his journey from when he first heard Tuvan throat singing on ham radio to being in Tuva performing at a throat singing competition is just remarkable. I got a little choked up a few times. It's a beautiful country, with beautiful people and beautiful music. I am glad to have spent time with them and Paul.
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