A LIFE WITH SLATE (61)

16:45, Thursday 28th June, Thaw

Alampu is a beautiful and exceedingly remote village in Nepal. The majority of the villagers are Thami and more than 90% are involved in the local slate mine. Their lives have an almost poetic dimension, as strong women perform the tough and arduous work alongside the men in the mountainside mines. They also have to carry heavy slate loads to sell them in distant villages. The film also includes technical details about slate production, and how it is worked prior to distribution. It shows how co-operation between the miners makes this tough life bearable, as well as intimate scenes of the life of young mining families. The film also describes the socio-cultural life of the village and its interaction with the environment.