Himalaya (2000) - Synopsis

Himalaya (2000)

In a far-flung village in the Dolpo, in the North-Western Himalayas, at an altitude of five thousand meters, Tinle, a charismatic old chieftain, whose eldest son has just died, refuses to allow the young Karma to lead the yak caravan.

Karma goes against the oracles and Tinle's anger: before the ritual date he leads the caravan away followed by the young men from the village. On the day fixed by the gods Tinle, assisted by his second son Norbu the Lama, his grandson and his old companions decides against all reason to set off in his turn. Then the ancestral duel between man and mountain begins.

The only earthly wealth of the sturdy peasants who live in the village are the salt deposits of Upper Tibet, salt which they extract and swap each year for grain, far, very far, beyond the vast mountains, in the lower Nepalese valleys. This hazardous annual crossing tests the courage of one and all and transforms these simple peasants into heroic caravan drivers. Through difficult trails where each step taken could be fatal, men, women and children accompany huge herds of yaks. During weeks and even months, they will struggle against the cold, harsh winds and avalanches- all the traps of a violent and excessive nature.