Watch Butter Lamp

Butter Lamp is a 2013 Tibetan-language short film directed by Hu Wei. The movie stars Genden Phuntsok, Soepha, and Sonam Gonpo as actors. The film is a snapshot of Tibetan culture and traditions in a rapidly modernizing world. The premise of the film is quite simple - it's essentially a series of vignettes of different Tibetan families posing in front of a photographer's camera. The photographer is trying to capture their portraits against various backdrops, including a picturesque mountain, a Buddhist temple, and other iconic Tibetan settings.

However, what makes Butter Lamp unique is that, instead of using real backgrounds, or even a green screen, the photographer has a range of printed backdrops - some of them quite surreal and fantastical. For example, the first family we see is posed in front of a backdrop of the Eiffel Tower, while another family poses in front of a scene of snowmen holding balloons. Yet another family poses in front of a backdrop of a beach with palm trees, complete with a fake seagull perched on a ceramic rock.

As the film progresses, we start to see some themes emerging - the juxtaposition of traditional Tibetan clothing and the absurdity of posing in front of a fake backdrop, the changing roles of men and women in Tibetan society, and the impact of globalization and modernization on Tibetan culture.

At first, the families all seem quite happy to pose for the photographer and his assistant, lighting butter lamps and offering khatas as they are asked. However, as the photoshoots continue, some of the subjects become more reluctant, even hostile towards the camera. One family flat-out refuses to pose in front of the Eiffel Tower backdrop, while another woman insists on wearing her sunglasses in the photos, despite the photographer's requests to remove them.

The movie is well-shot and visually impressive, with a dreamlike quality to the backgrounds that emphasizes the surreal nature of the whole enterprise. The use of vibrant colors and elaborate costumes helps add to the feeling that the film is capturing something unique and special.

Overall, Butter Lamp is an engaging and thought-provoking film that manages to explore some deep themes while also being visually entertaining. It's not a movie that will appeal to everyone - it's short on plot and dialogue, and some may find the pacing slow. However, for those interested in exploring Tibetan culture and the impact of modernity on traditional societies, it's definitely worth watching.