Stone Pastures

“Stone Pastures” tells the story of a nomadic family living on the Himalayan plateau of Chantang, Ladakh. In this high altitude cold desert, the most inhospitable of environments, father Sonam, mother Phuntsok, old uncle Tsewang, and the boys Padma and Kunsang struggle rearing pashmina goats. This struggle contains a paradox: Ladakh’s gritty, rocky conditions give rise to the finest of materials, pashmina wool. Produced by the nomads’ goats as a warm undercoat, this is the raw material for luxurious Kashmiri shawls, and the family’s only source of income. The film follows the family through the seasons in the context of their livelihood. Aspiring towards a more comfortable settled life, we find Ladakh’s nomads in a state of transition, between traditional life and modern ways. In Stone Pastures, this transition is seen mainly through the eyes of the family’s sons Kunsang and Padma, as they move away from the life of his ancestors, traveling between the high plateau and boarding school in Leh, Ladakh’s capital.
Donagh Coleman (1975) grew up mainly in Finland, with long periods in Ireland and the U.S. (he is a citizen of these three countries). In 1996 Donagh travelled to India. This was the first of several trips where he studied Tibetan Buddhism and culture, spending months in North Indian Tibetan refugee communities. Returning from India, Donagh entered Trinity College Dublin to study philosophy and psychology (BA) and continued with Trinity College’s Masters course in music and media technology. Before directing the creative documentary ”Echoes Of” (2002) he also made several short films. Besides filmmaking, he has illustrated best-selling books, worked as an Irish tour guide, as well as guiding for Dublin’s Chester Beatty Library Museum. He has traded in Indian handicrafts first in his uncle’s shop in Dublin, and later with a small business of his own in Finland. Donagh also writes and produces music.

Introduction by Liivo Niglas, Taavi Tatsi, Natalia Munatajeva