Ethnographic Film Series

Organised by the Royal Anthropological Institute’s Film Committee and SOAS Department of Anthropology and Sociology

23 October Wednesday 1 PM, Khalili Lecture Theatre, SOAS    

Playing With Nan

Dipesh Kharel, Asami Saito, 88 mins , Nepal/Japan

Playing with Nan is the story of a young Nepali man who migrated to work in a Nepali restaurant in northern Japan. The film explores his daily life at work and his family at home, which reflects socio-cultural problems related to globalization. Twenty-eight years ago, Ram was born in a rural village in Nepal. Working on the farm Ram saw little hope apart from surviving in poor conditions. One day he decided to escape from the village and poverty. In Kathmandu he worked for 12 years at several restaurants. However, he could not change the family’s situation. He heard a beautiful story from a broker about the work and earning opportunities in Japan. He paid the broker US 20