Category: Adventure

2023 Pan African Film and Arts Festival Film Guide

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Over 150 films from 40 countries, in 19 languages, including 50 World and 22 North American premieres!

Today, the PAFF announced its full lineup for its upcoming in-person festival Feb. 9-20, 2023. Now in its 31st year, the Festival is returning to the Cinemark Baldwin Hills and XD and the adjacent Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza will host its renowned fine art show featuring over 100 established and emerging fine artists and quality craftspeople from all over the Black Diaspora. This year’s film festival features over 150 films from 40 countries, in 19 languages, including 50 World and 22 North American premieres. Of the films selected for the Festival, 39% are helmed by female, queer or non-binary filmmakers.

The Festival film guide is available here.

Passes on sale now and can be purchased here.

Individual tickets go on sale on January 31, 2023.

 

‘THE QUEST: Nepal’ Movie Review

THE QUEST Nepal - Poster

Year: 2022
Director and Writer: Alex Harz
Starring: Alex Harz, Tashi Sherpa, Hanuman Baba, Russell Brice, Mike Hamill, and more,
Genre: Documentary

The Many Rewards in Fulfilling a Childhood Promise

Harz said, “often, the best way to get to know the true essence of a city, is walking its streets and talking to its people.”

He is true to his word as he explores the villages and the people of the city of Kathmandou and the country of Nepal, that call it home, as he prepares to take on the Himalayan mountain’s Mt. Everest.

It includes stops along the Bagmati River, a holy river to both the Hindu and Buddhist religions, where cremations are performed for Hindu believers. The Sherpa culture is explained. He visits the town of Namche Bazaar, in the north-eastern area of Nepal, that is a major trading hub for the area.

Alex Approaching the South Summit of Everest
Alex Approaching the South Summit of Everest
We see the memorial for all those who lost their life in their own quest to climb the mountain

The beauty of the environment and the primitive natural of so much of daily life in the Khumka Valley and the Sherpa culture that required to make the climb, stands out in the film. Human, animals and helicopters are the only mean of transportation for people and transporting of goods.

The cinematography provides a fantastic background and setting for the harrowing climb. The dialogue provides a great opportunity to learn about the people and the history of the region. Hart's editing gives a nice flow from the first the last scene. 

‘THE QUEST: Nepal’ is a good film that accomplishes a promise that is rewarding by itself, when combined with the introduction of the people of Kathmandou and the history of their city and country of Nepal, beauty of Mt. Everest and the surrounding Himalayan mountain adds to magnificence of Harz's journey.
Release May 2022
Distributor: Gravitas Ventures (2022) (USA) (all media), The Quest (2021) (USA) (all media)
Executive Producer:  Alex Harz 
Producer: Tate Zandstra  
Production Co: The Quest
Run time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Starring: Hanuman Baba as Hindu Sadhu, Russell Brice as Expedition Operator, Mike Hamill as Expedition Operator. Alex Harz Alex Harz as Host, Ang Tshering Lama as Mountain Guide,Erlend Ness as Everest Climber,Lama Nawang Paljor as Tibetan Buddhist Monk, Caroline Pemberton as Everest Journalist,Kumar Rupakheti as Nepalese Historian,Lakpa Rita Sherpa as Basecamp Manager,Mingma Chiri Sherpa as Everest Climber,Pasang T. Sherpa as Sherpa Barista,Pasang Temba Sherpa as Puja Monk, Phunjo Lama Sherpa as Mountain Guide,Riten Jangbu Sherpa as Expedition Sirdar, Tashi Sherpa as Trekking Guide, Tshering Sherpa as SPCC Director, Tshering Sarg Sherpa as Expedition Manager
Director and Writer: Alex Harz
Cinematographers: Alex Harz, Ang Tshering Lama, Manish Maharjan, Samuel Emerson Morgan, Alex Schauer, Riten Jangbu Sherpa, Ryan Waters 
Editors: Greg Bartlett, Alex Harz, Nicholas Orris, Tate Zandstra