This film is part of Free
Ladakh
A stunning trek from the vale of Kashmir, via Sind Valley and Kargil and Lamayaru Monastry
Overview
These stunning colour images give us a rare tour of the remote, mountainous regions of India's far north, approaching the Tibetan border. They document a 400-mile trek by intrepid traveller and amateur filmmaker John C. Jewell, from the vale of Kashmir, via the Sind Valley, and the Lamayaru Monastry, 3.5 km above sea level. Along the way we see the Indus River, Spituk Gompa, Leh, Khardung La, and the Kangi gorge and pass. While the scenery is stunning, we also meet local people and get a taste of their culture, including a village dance.
This was one of a collection of well over 100 films shot by prolific amateur filmmaker John C. Jewell to document his travels (as well as his sporting interests). Jewell travelled extensively in Europe, Africa and elsewhere with his Swiss-made 8mm cine camera, but his films around India between 1940 and 1945 are among the collection's highlights. Conciously or not, Jewell's Kashmiri trek saw him following in the footsteps of explorers such as the celebrated German botanist and anthropologist Alfred Meebold and the Liverpool-born Marco Pallis, who travelled to Ladakh around 1936 on his way to Tibet.
Related
Indian Procession Indian Procession
Non-Fiction 1902 3 mins Silent
Decorated elephants with howdahs, and troops on foot and horseback.
Delhi 1946 Delhi 1946
Amateur film 1946 15 mins Silent
8mm amateur film of India on the eve of Independence.
King George the Fifth's Durbar Held to Proclaim Him Emperor of India King George the Fifth's Durbar Held to Proclaim Him Emperor of India
Non-Fiction 1912 7 mins Silent
Patriotic dispatch from the grand celebrations to mark the start of George V's reign
Ruins of Delhi Ruins of Delhi
Interest film 1910 4 mins Silent
Attractive travelogue filmed in and around Delhi's Qutb complex.
Scenes of the Delhi Camp Scenes of the Delhi Camp
Non-Fiction 1911 3 mins Silent
A look at the 1911 Delhi Durbar - with a look back at its 1902 predecessor
Rajputana, Jhalawar, Bundi & Katakali Dancers Rajputana, Jhalawar, Bundi & Katakali Dancers
Amateur film 1940 11 mins Silent
A trip to the spectacular city of Bundi and a Kathakali dance performance, filmed in vivid colour by 'envoy of the Raj' Clarmont Skrine.
China O'Brien: The Reunion China O'Brien: The Reunion
Documentary 2024 60 mins
Cynthia Rothrock, Richard Norton and Keith Cooke reunite three decades on from the groundbreaking martial arts classic.
Women in Action Panel Discussion Women in Action Panel Discussion
Inside Film 2024 28 mins
Action Xtreme - the UK's leading action film studio - hosts this panel discussion with four leading women in action cinema - Soo Cole, Jo Rolison, Jadey Duffield and Ioanna Karavela.
Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 24 mins
Daniel Kokotajlo talks to Nia Childs about Starve Acre, his folk horror about a couple digging deep into grief in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.
Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 30 mins
Sky Peals director Moin Hussain and lead actor Faraz Ayub talk to Tomisin Adepeju about their magic realist drama.
Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell
Documentary 2024 42 mins
Documentary exploring the BFI National Archive’s role in rediscovering and remastering the early films of Michael Powell.
Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels
Short documentary 2024 12 mins
Bryony Dixon, curator of silent film at the BFI national archive, explores the origins of a series of comic travelogues, and Michael Powell's involvement in making them.