Butter Lamp

Academy Award nominated short film ‘Butter Lamp’ by director Hu Wei beautifully peels back layers of a Tibetan nomad community.

The film documents the work of a photographer who is tasked with shooting family portraits of the Tibetans in front of various artificial backdrops. He positions his subjects, swaps out the clothing he doesn’t like and snaps the picture. It’s portraiture on multiple levels. Although simplistic in premise and execution, it’s the gentle, relatable nature of the photographer’s interactions with the people, old and young, that warms us to them (and to him) and makes the film a somewhat immersive experience.

The director subtly reveals miniature dramas and concerns of his characters through snippets of conversations and interactions picked up by the photographer’s camera. Through this approach, he offers a glimpse into the most remote and untapped society imaginable, finally transporting us there in a subtle yet beautiful closing moment when the artificial backdrop is raised.

The anti-plot minimalism of the film means that it’ll appeal more to the indie/art film lover, but none the less a well crafted, unique little gem of a film. Well worth seeking out.