Genghis Blues

Oct 28 1999 Not Rated 1h 28m

Documentary

Blind blues musician Paul Pena is perhaps best known for his song "Jet Airliner". In 1993, Pena heard Tuvan throat singing over his shortwave radio and subsequently taught himself how to reproduce these extraordinary sounds. This documentary follows him to Tuva, where he takes part in a throat singing competition. Languages featured in the film include English, Russian and Tuvan.

Plot

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.

Written by

Roko Belic

Directed by

Roko Belic

Cast

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

Crew

View crew

Production Countries

United States of America

Production Companies

Wadi Rum Productions

Languages

English

Awards

Nominated for 1 Oscar. 8 wins & 1 nomination total

Scores

# of Votes

1,460

Average Rating

7.8 out of 10

Metascore

Popularity

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