Documentary Film
In the village of Tejakula in Bali, villagers dressed in costumes and ancient masks are evoking the mythic characters of epic Ramayana, as a gift and offering to the Gods for preserving the balance and wellbeing of people and all the creatures in this area. The short documentary film is unveiling the stories and traditions kept for centuries. The form of the dance called Wayang Wong from Tejakula got recognition for the Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 2016.
On the surface, we see dance ceremonies and rituals, but after spending months with this group and Master Pa Guru Putu, I realized that there’s something more profound and magical happening. The atmosphere becomes electric. ‘Niskala’ is the word in Balinese that describes the invisible world, the realm that exists alongside ‘sekala’ – the visible world. I became determined to capture this feeling in the film.
