余明光：拍纪录片不是为了完成个人的纪录片梦

余明光1980年代末出生于迪庆州维西县的一个傈僳寨子，从小便对影像创作充满兴趣。2009年以来，他开始与一些傈僳族民间艺人一起，投入到傈僳族传统音乐形式瓦器器、阿尺目刮的挖掘、传承及拍摄工作。这些音乐流传于云南省迪庆州维西县保和镇、永春乡、白济汛乡等地，由傈僳族人世代传唱，反映着傈僳族的生活方式、精神文化和民族历史。

在2020年“澜湄之眼”澜湄四国少数民族影像技术人才培训计划中，余明光的拍摄对象便是一个自发传承这些民间音乐的群体。影片以三江姐妹民间歌舞保护传承协会的会长阿妮，及副会长余新彪，余春华等当地民间艺人为主要人物线索，从侧面反映出这个群体传承传统文化时的风雨历程。

在本片中，一群傈僳族民间艺人为了最正统的阿尺目刮，花了十年时间，对阿尺目刮进行抢救、挖掘、整理，又重新跳回民间得以流传。待抢救工作完成时，大家个个负债累累，又回到各自的生活中去。至此，文化的传承一方面浸入到每个人的生活里，另一方面，文化的传承又已然牵引着每个人向更广阔的世界迈去。

Q&A：

你是如何接触到纪录片的？为什么对纪录片感兴趣？

我是在2008年一次偶然的机会接触到纪录片。我之前在民族学院读书，当时本部还在121大街那里。有一次在宣传栏上看到“云之南”的海报，我觉得很有意思就来云南大学阶梯教室来看前辈们拍的纪录片。在最后讨论环节，认识了谭乐水老师，谭老师问我是什么民族，我就告诉他我是傈僳族。最后谭老师就说：如果你对纪录片感兴趣，可以经常来我们办公室。后来我就开始跟着谭乐水老师学习拍片、剪片、录音等。

我对纪录片感兴趣是因为纪录片记录下来的相对来说更接近真实。其实我小时候就有一台柯达傻瓜相机，经常给村民们拍照，最后洗出来给他们，顺便还赚点外快。我从小就对影像感兴趣，只是当时没条件，来到昆明认识了谭乐水老师，才有机会真正的接触和学着拍摄纪录片。纪录片最吸引我的一点就是可以记录将要消失的文化，我想把傈僳族的文化以影像的形式记录下来，也是我拍纪录片的主要原因。

你觉得一个好的纪录片应该是什么样的？请例举你个人喜欢的纪录片。

我个人觉得拍纪录片不是为了完成个人的纪录片梦，一个好的纪录片是传达给观众一些道理，观众看了会有反思，从中能学到一些东西。

我最喜欢的纪录片是《人类星球》《猎捕》《蜂蜜之地》《徒手攀岩》。

你是如何参与到“澜湄之眼”项目的？

这个主要要感谢陈湘老师。之前陈湘老师和我共同参与拍摄过关于景颇族的纪录片《目瑙纵歌》。当时陈湘老师说过，以后你要好好试着记录傈僳族的传统文化。所以能参与到这个项目，主要是陈湘老师的推荐和信任。

在这次项目过程中，你为什么选择拍摄“轮椅上传承阿尺木刮”？这次拍摄对你自己有怎样的影响？

我从小生活在傈僳族山寨，看到太多的傈僳族歌舞是怎么消亡的，怎么改编成“四不像”。

自从政府把我们村评为“阿尺木刮”发源地之后，为了更好的宣传效果，傈僳族传统舞蹈和唱法都被改编成了类似藏族锅庄的舞蹈和唱法。后来，我认识了阿妮老师和余勇兴老师，看到他们一直默默的在传承最本真的阿尺木刮歌舞，我就想把这些故事和歌舞记录下来，让更多的同胞看到我们的传统舞蹈。同时，他们的执着感染了我。

一路走来，我看到传承民族文化对每个人来说太不容易了，好多人慢慢的就放弃了。也有些人把毕生的积蓄都投入到民族文化，最后一无所获。拍着拍着，我自己有时候也会贴钱进去。好多民间艺人也会慢慢放弃传承传统文化。他们不是不热爱这个文化，而是他们需要养家糊口。看到这些的确是一件很难过的事情，但不管怎么说，只要我有时间，就会一直记录我们傈僳族的将要消失的文化。

在参与项目的过程中有没有遇到什么棘手的问题？最后是怎样解决的？

参与这次项目的过程中没遇到太多困难。因为这次项目在经费上的支持，以及各位老师也在尽全力在帮我。所以，每次拍摄都比较轻松，以前的话，每次请民间艺人们聚集在一起，一般都是我自己贴钱来请。这次对我来说是最顺利的一次拍摄。

目前为止，你觉得参与这个项目有什么收获？

通过这次项目的拍摄和学习，让我学会了怎么拍摄纪录片，怎么与拍摄者更进一步的相处，同时更有信心拍摄我们傈僳族的纪录片。因为那么多人关心我们的民族文化，我更应该坚持下去。这不只是为了个人，而是为了我们傈僳族的传统文化。

SI K Za was born in a Lisu village in Weixi County, Diqing State, he was attracted to filmmaking ever since. In 2009, he started to search, film and carry the traditional forms of Lisu music—Wa Qiqi(feet bouncing) and Ah Chi Mu Gua(dance of goats) forward with a group of Lisu folk musicians. These genres have being sung by Lisu people who live among Baohe Town, Yongchun Village, Baijixun Village and other places in Weixi County, Diqing State, Yunnan Province through generations. They are a reflection of Lisu life style, spirit and history.

In Lancang-Mekong Vision：Minority Anthropological Video Fusion media Production program (LMV program), 2020, SI K Za has chosen the subject of a musician group whose goal is to pass such music down. The documentary has taken the perspectives of Ah Ni, the president of Tri-River Sisters Folk Music & Dance Protection and Inheritance Association, Xinbiao Yu, its vice-president, and local musicians such as Chunhua Yu, to demonstrate what these people have undergone defending their culture.

In the film, a group of Lisu folk musicians spent 10 years only to bring the most authentic Ah Chi Mu Gua back to life, and hand it back to the people. When the work is done, the crew returned to their homes with nothing but debts. At this moment, the inheritance of their culture has finally surrounded their own ordinary lives, and has already begun to lead them into a vast world.

Q&A：

Q: How did you first come across documentaries? And why were you drawn to them?

A: It was back in 2008, I got to know documentaries by chance. I was a student at the nationalities university, it was located on 121 Street. Once I saw a poster of Beyond the Clouds on the billboard. I found it quite curious, so I went to the lecture theatre to watch the documentary made by my predecessors. During the discussion, I met Mr. Leshui Tan, Mr. Tan asked about my ethnicity, I told him that I am Lisu. To end the conversation, Mr. Tan made a suggestion: If you have a thing for documentary, you should come by more often. So I started learning from Mr. Tan about filming, editing, recording and so forth.

I prefer documentary is because what it records is closer to how things really are. I had a Kodak auto focus camera as a kid. I took a lot of photos for the villagers, and print those for them, getting some pocket money on the way. I was drawn to videos since then, I just couldn’t afford to make one until I met Mr. Tan, it was then I truly had the chance to learn about it. What I love the most about documentary is that it could save a dying culture. I want to save Lisu culture in the form of image, it is the major reason for me to make documentaries.

Q: What features should a good documentary have in your opinion? Please name one of your favorites.

A: personally I don’t think documentaries are made in pursuit of personal desires but to deliver certain messages that make people rethink and learn.

I think my favorites are Human Planet, the Hunt, Медена земја(Honey land), and Free Solo.

Q: How did you join the LMV program?

A: Thanks to Mr. Xiang Chen. We earlier worked jointly on a Jingpo documentary. Back then he told me that I really should try to record Lisu culture. So I’m here mostly because of Mr. Chen’s recommendation and trust.

Q: Why did you choose to film “Inheritance From a Wheelchair”? What influences does this program have on you?

A: I grow up in a Lisu village, I witnessed too many songs and dances die out or become neither fish nor fowl.

Ever since the government nominated our village as the birthplace or Ah Chi Mu Gua, they adapted Lisu dances and singing to appear like Tibetan folk dance for better promotion. Then I met Ah Ni and Yongxing Yu, learnt about their constant work of inheriting the most authentic Ah Chi Mu Gua, I wanted to records their stories, their singing and dances, so that more of our people can see what the real traditional dances are like. Besides, I was deeply moved by their persistence.

Along the path, I learnt that it is very difficult for each one of us to carry the culture forward, so many people just gave up. And some even spent the last penny for the cause, and achieved nothing in the end. On filming this documentary, I too have to spend some extra from time to time. Many musicians give in, too. It’s not that they don’t love their culture, it’s just they have mouths to feed. It’s a sad fact, but no matter what, I will keep recording our dying culture as long as I have the time.

Q: what difficulties have you ran into throughout the process? How did you take care of them?

A: Not much, because I’m funded by the program, and my colleagues backed me with full strength. So, it was largely quite smooth. Back the days when we gathered the musicians, I normally have to cover the expenses myself. This time things went very well.

Q: What is your greatest gain out of this program?

A: I learnt how to make a documentary during this program, and how to get along well with my subjects. I’m now more confident making a Lisu documentary. So many people care about our culture, I should stick to it. It’s not a personal desire, it’s to carry our culture forward.