Genghis Blues (1999)

San Francisco bluesman and composer, Paul Peña makes a musical pilgrimage to the land of Tuva.

Director:

Roko Belic

Writer:

Roko Belic

Stars:

Richard Feynman, B.B. King, Kongar-ol Ondar

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 8 wins.

Cast

Credited cast:
Richard Feynman	...	Himself (archive footage)
B.B. King	...	Himself
Kongar-ol Ondar
Paul Pena
Aislinn Scofield	...	Herself

Storyline

The extraordinary odyssey of a U.S. musician of Cape Verdean ancestry to Tannu Tuva, in central Asia, where nomadic people throat sing more than one note simultaneously, using vocal harmonics. A bluesman, Paul Pena, blind and recently widowed, taught himself throat singing and was by chance invited to the 1995 throat-singing symposium in Kyzyl. Helped by the "Friends of Tuva," Pena makes the arduous journey. Singing in the deep, rumbling kargyraa style, Pena gives inspired performances at the festival, composes songs in Tuvan, washes his face in sacred rivers, expresses the disorientation of blindness in foreign surroundings, and makes a human connection with everyone he meets.

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Plot Keywords:

tuva | throat singing | independent film | 

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Genres:

Documentary

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Wadi Rum Productions

Country:

USA

Language:

English Tuvinian

Release Date:

28 October 1999 (New Zealand)

Also Known As:

Dzsingiz blues

Filming Locations:

Kyzyl, Tuva Republic

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$32,606, 9 July 1999

Gross USA:

$323,881, 26 March 2000

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director Christopher Nolan receives one of his earliest credits on this documentary, when he is listed under 'Editorial Assistance'. When he spent 3 years in Chicago as a child, he was friends with Roko and Adrian Belic and the three of them made short Super 8 movies together.

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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Runaway Bride/The Iron Giant/Twin Falls Idaho/Deep Blue Sea/Genghis Blues (1999)

User Reviews

Excellent, and educational documentary

What can I say other than I loved it. As far as documentaries go, this one stands side by side among the greats as far as I'm concerned. Not only do you get a tour of a land forgotten, having the opportunity to get to know a country, it's inhabitants, and their customs, but you'll have the chance to really see and hear Tuvan throat singing, something most American's have never even heard of. All this, through the eyes of a blind man, Paul Pena. A famous blues man who, over a period of 7 or 8 years, mastered throat singing well enough to travel to Tuva and compete in the Throat Singing Competition.

I recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about the world, interested in experiencing a very beautiful and underexposed style of music and singing, interested in a wonderful heart warming story, and amazing people.