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Film short abstract:

This is a story about an easy-to-ignore old man from rural Iowa, USA, who is a culture hero. It explores themes of community arts as emotional and social cohesion, the paradox between cultural specificity and universality of psychology, and heterodoxy required for a living music and dance tradition.

Film long abstract:

Dwight Lamb has been an important and influential old time fiddler in the American Midwest for decades, but due to a chance encounter with Danish champion fiddler Kristian Bugge and accordionist Mette Kathrine Jensen Staerk, he is now also important and influential in Denmark. Dwight had learned Danish tunes as a child from his immigrant grandfather. “Dwight in Denmark” tells this story and follows a tour that he, Kristian and Mette made after they began collaborating musically. Their work together has led to the rediscovery in Denmark of many traditional tunes that had become extinct there. The story is about music, dance, friendship, community, history, and the power of memory.

This story rewrites conventional notions of folk culture as being a stagnant museum orthodoxy. It illustrates the dynamism of a standing tradition being constantly refreshed by outside influences to encourage a living and growing culture, and catalyzing emotional and social health among participants.

Featuring stellar musicians Dwight Lamb, Kristian Bugge, Mette Kathrine Jensen Stærk, Tove de Fries, Harald Haugaard, Tricia Spencer, Howard Rains, Morten Alfred Høirup, Bill Peterson, and many others. Narrated by Phil Nussbaum. Advisors: James Leary, PhD, and Jens Lund, PhD.

Supported by the American Scandinavian Foundation, the Museum of Danish America, and many individual contributors to the Dwight in Denmark Documentary Project.

Preview audience reactions:

“Wow, this is a beautiful film!” “Rich and beautifully rendered.” “A heartfelt wonderful story that crosses boundaries, oceans, cultures, and generations.” “Truly stunning. It feels personal, like listening to a conversation.”

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Film short abstract:

From focusing on the diverse musical practices of Otavalo Indigenous musicians, this film shows an unconventional image of Indigenous people, where tourism and migration are central in Otavalos’ conception of their own lives and in their participation in a globalised world.

Film long abstract:

Throughout five parts, each of them focusing on one musician or one band of musicians, this ethnographic film shows diverse musical practices of Otavalo Indigenous musicians (such as performances in local festivities and on festival stages, recording practices, and performances of different genres from different places). Hailing from the Ecuadorian Andes, the Otavalos have envisioned possible futures beyond what is usually expected from Indigenous people by the state and the dominant society. The promises of migration and tourism have shaped Otavalos’ actions in the present towards a brighter future, relying on a revalorised image of their Indigenous past. Many Otavalos have migrated to Europe and North America, mainly since the 1980s, to sell their handicrafts and to play Andean music in the streets. They have also depended heavily on tourism in Otavalo town, which is home to an important craft market.

The film emphasises the ways the circulations of people, sounds, ideas, and objects have shaped the contemporary practices of Otavalo musicians and how migration, urbanisation, influence/re-appropriation of globalised ideas and objects, the use of technology, the revalorisation and performance of local ‘culture’ have impacted the visions of their contemporary everyday lives and futures. In this context of transnational interconnectivity, the presentation of self as culturally different has been at stake. In this way, the film also shows several ways of revalorising ‘traditional’ musical practices and of merging the latter with sounds, genres, ideas, and objects from other Latin American regions and the northern hemisphere.

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Film short abstract:

Soul Release follows DikweX, a South African healer, as he frees trapped Nama and Herero souls on Namibia’s Shark Island. Using sensory ethnography, the film blends sounds, textures, symbols, and unscripted voices to explore First Nation heritage, healing, and the spiritual power of rituals.

Film long abstract:

The film Soul Release explores the spiritual and cultural journey of DikweX, a healer and diviner from South Africa, as he performs rituals to release the trapped souls of the Nama and Herero people on Namibia’s Shark Island. Drawing on sensory ethnography, this study immerses viewers in the sounds, textures, and emotions of the ritual, using close-up visuals, ambient soundscapes, and symbolic objects to convey the spiritual depth of the experience. The film employs the “walk-with” technique, enabling viewers to journey alongside DikweX, engaging with the environment and ritual. Key symbols, including porcupine quills, fire, and traditional instruments, anchor the film in First Nation cultural heritage, enhancing the sensory connection to the sacred landscape. Balancing the desire to document with respect for cultural boundaries, the film reflects on the role of the community’s voice, captured through unscripted interviews. Through this approach, Soul Release serves as both a cultural record and a profound exploration of memory, healing, and resilience, making it a significant contribution to ethnographic filmmaking and documentary storytelling.