LUANG PRABANG: A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE TOWN

World Heritage

A 55 min documentary made as part of the 20th anniversary since the town became inscribed as a World Heritage Town. The film was produced for the Luang Prabang World Heritage Office and was made possible with support from the US Embassy in Vientiane through the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation.

For more in depth information please visit our blog page:

PORTRAITS FROM LUANG PRABANG

Portraits from Luang Prabang

We made a film incorporating interviews with local people to create a ‘window’ on Luang Prabang in Laos from a different perspective. Many visitors see the traditional arts and culture of Luang Prabang when they buy souvenirs, go to a show or visit museums. However they don’t often get to see how these traditions are kept alive by the people who work as local artisans and in small village industries. This film goes behind the scenes and depicts a vital part of life in Luang Prabang. We created simple ‘moving’ portraits of the people who are the heartbeat of this small UNESCO heritage town in SE Asia. ‘

Portrait of an Abbot

One of the ‘Portraits’ became a standalone vignette; This short film was awarded in the International Photography Awards in LA. The drawings as part of the creative transitions were all created by Paul Bloxham for the longer film.

We also created a set of 4 short promotional films that have been used over the years to attract visitors to this well preserved unique UNESCO heritage town.

 

Khai Paen: Behind the Scenes

When we recorded the sound track for the part about the Khai Paen harvesting we made a short ‘Behind the Scenes’ showing the team at work and artist Paul Bloxham at work on ideas for sketches.

Khai Paen is a river-weed harvested from the Mekong River and other rivers. It is a particular food from Luang Prabang and often served as a snack or accompaniment with other foods.

 

The Seasons: A Hmong Story from Laos.

From rice cultivation and preparing the fields to the new year celebrations.

The Hmong migrated from southern China in the nineteenth century to the mountainous areas of Laos, Vietnam and Thailand. There are only two seasons in Laos, the rainy season and the dry season. It is warm year around. In many villages homes and other buildings are made of bamboo and wood. There is often no electricity for the mountain people, not much machinery, and not many roads. The Hmong walk to their farms and carry home the produce. All work is done by hand. They grow and make everything needed to sustain the family. They are mostly independent self-sufficient people.

The Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation

Project for;

US Embassy Vientiane, Exhibition in the National Museum Luang Prabang, Northern Laos.

Photography and Production by Adri Berger,  Design by Paul Bloxham

Special thanks to Ambassador Clune & Pam DeVolder, US Embassy.

The aim of the project was to showcase projects that received support through the AFCP over a timespan of around 10 years. Our work was to collate the information and create a set of information panels as well as setting up the exhibition in conjunction with the Luang Prabang National Museum. The resulting exhibit was well received with positive feedback from people around the world. For more information please contact us via email.

Ann Ahmed’s Vignettes

Ann Ahmed moved to the United States of America since she was just a child. She developed a love for cooking Lao food through her grandmother. She is now a chef in Golden Valley, Minnesota, where she first opened Lemon Grass then followed by Lat14.

Navajo Artist Exchange in Laos