With the Nepal International Film Festival (NIFF) officially wrapped up and the awards handed out, the spotlight remains on the stories that connected nations. Among the most discussed was ‘Learners from the Top of the World,’ a documentary that brought the authentic spirit of Xizang to Nepali screens.
In an exclusive wrap-up interview, producer Wang Botao speaks with Nepalkhabar's Anil Yadav about the physical rigors of high-altitude filmmaking and the shared cultural DNA of the Himalayan people. From his critique of Western "orientalism" to his excitement over historical ties like Princess Bhrikuti and Araniko, Wang envisions a new era of co-production between China and Nepal that goes far beyond the festival circuit.
Your film brings a unique perspective of Xizang (Tibet) to the screen. What was the core inspiration behind this story, and what specific message or emotion do you hope the Nepali audience—who share a similar Himalayan culture—will take away from it?
–The film I’ve brought you today presents the ordinary lives of six middle school students across three cities in Xizang, seen through the eyes of a French director. In terms of visual style, we pursued a realistic, sketch-like approach, deliberately avoiding manufactured drama. This is because the documentary’s primary goal is to present the authentic, everyday reality of junior high school students.
As the film comes to Nepal for its screening, we, the creators, certainly hope that the audience will gain as much as possible from this experience.
First is information. We hope that after watching, you will understand what life is like for today’s middle schoolers in Xizang, what it’s like on campus and at home, and what kind of joys, worries, and dreams they have.
Second is resonance. Since Nepal is Xizang neighbor and the two places share many cultural similarities, I believe Nepali audiences will find a deeper resonance watching the lives of their "neighbors'" children than audiences from other regions might.
Third is emotional value. Because the film is shot from the immersive perspective of a French director, there are many interesting moments in the interactions between him and the children and their families, leaving plenty of laughter. However, there is also the genuine sadness of parting when he eventually says goodbye to these kids. It is this kind of sincere human connection that we hope to convey to our viewers.
Nepal and Xizang share deep geographical, spiritual, and cultural roots. Since arriving in Kathmandu, what similarities have you noticed between the people or the atmosphere here and the environment depicted in your film?
–Our schedule has been incredibly packed these past few days, so we’ve been shuttling between screening venues. We haven’t had much time to truly walk the streets and soak in the atmosphere of the city.
However, just as you said, even in the short time we’ve been here and noticed many similarities with Xizang. Take the custom of offering Khada (scarves), for instance. Just like in Xizang, our Nepali friends greeted us with Khada upon our arrival. However, I noticed that the Khada here seems a bit different in terms of material and color. They appear to be more diverse in fabric and much more colorful. In my experience in Xizang, the traditional ones are typically white silk.
Also, whenever we walk down the street, we can easily spot religious structures like stupas and temples, which are also very common sights in Xizang.
There is also one funny thing—I’m not sure if it’s true, but I heard there is a local specialty called "Momos," a type of small dumpling or bun. This actually reminds me of a scene in my documentary. There is a moment where the French director, Jacques, is trying to make Tibetan food with a girl and her family. When Jacques asks what they are making, the girl tells him, "In Tibetan, we call this Momo." I wonder if that’s the same thing you are talking about?
Filming in high-altitude regions, often called the 'Roof of the World,' is physically and technically demanding. Could you share one major challenge you faced during production and how that experience shaped you as a filmmaker?
–In fact, the high altitude was indeed a massive challenge during the production of this documentary. The average altitude across our filming locations was 3,500 meters, and in Shigatse, it reached 4,000 meters. Our cinematographers often had to stop just to catch their breath and rest.
Another major concern was our director—a 67-year-old Frenchman. We were extremely worried about his physical condition at the start. To ensure everything went smoothly, he even underwent high-altitude simulation training in a laboratory in Paris before coming here.
A final challenge was the geography. The three schools we filmed are located in Nyingchi, Shigatse, and Lhasa, which are very far apart. To avoid exhausting the crew, the filming was actually split into three separate phases, completed during the spring, summer, and autumn seasons respectively.
There is an increasing global interest in indigenous and mountain stories. How do you think filmmakers from China and Nepal can work together to promote a 'Himalayan Narrative' on the international stage?
–Indeed, the Western world has harbored a deep fascination with the Himalayan region since the colonial era, and this interest has only intensified entering the 2020s. However, when it comes to artistic creation, I personally believe that we, the people of the Himalayas, need to be wary of a specific trap: pandering excessively to Western tastes.
The reason I see this risk is that, many Westerners‘interest for this region rooted in the same perspective held for centuries—focusing largely on the exoticism, the ancient mysteries, and the oriental spirituality of the region. But times are changing and society is progressing. If we only focus on these themes when telling Himalayan stories on the international stage, we not only fail to present a complete picture of the region but also risk further deepening Western misconceptions.
There is a popular term in China's contemporary economics called "supply-side structural reform". I think we need a similar reform in Himalayan film and television production: we should increase the proportion of works that reflect modern Nepal and modern Xizang.
As a participant in the Xizang Panorama at NIFF, how do you view the role of international film festivals in strengthening the friendship and artistic exchange between the film industries of China and Nepal?
I believe the Nepal International Film Festival is a fantastic platform for exchange, bringing filmmakers from all over the world together and creating many new possibilities for future collaboration.
Yesterday, while participating in a program on Nepal Television, I met an American professor of anthropology who is a jury member for this festival, as well as an Iranian-French director, another jury member and a truly talented filmmaker. After the show, we exchanged contact information and discussed the potential for future cooperation.
Of course, speaking about film cooperation between China and Nepal, since our screening here focuses primarily on documentaries—most of which were produced by the TV station I work for—we haven't connected with too many people from the film industry just yet. However, in terms of documentary production between TV institutions, we have already established collaborations with several Nepali TV stations. I believe there is immense potential in this area. It is precisely because of this festival platform that I’ve been able to meet these colleagues from Nepal and around the world.
After experiencing the beauty and hospitality of Nepal, do you see potential for a future project or a co-production that involves both Chinese and Nepali locations, artists, or technicians?
When I think about the next twenty years, I believe the most monumental project between China and Nepal will be the China-Nepal Railway. I see this future railway becoming a new point of connection for economic, commercial, and people-to-people exchanges between our two nations. Countless new stories of interaction will emerge around it.
Since this is poised to be perhaps the most challenging cross-border railway project in human history, I believe that simply documenting the construction of this great project would make for an incredibly compelling film.
Not to mention that long before this railway spans the Himalayas, the people on both sides of the mountains have shared a history filled with stories that have been passed down for millennia. These include the story of Princess Bhrikuti traveling far to marry Songtsen Gampo, and the tale of Araniko journeying to the Yuan capital to build the White Stupa Temple. Just thinking about it is incredibly exciting!
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