Ulrike Koch

Regilaul - Lieder aus der Luft

Ulrike Koch

Veljo Tormis, Lauri Õunapuu

On the shores of the Gulf of Finland, the ancient Finno-Ugric peoples originated a singing tradition of mysterious power called the Regilaul. These songs are the roots of Estonia’s renowned singing culture. Based on the continuous repetition of eight-syllable verses, they produce a haunting sound able to connect the fleeting present with the eternal circle of life. Against the stunning setting of modern Estonia, this film explores how Regi songs still fire the imagination today, weaving together people and nature through song.

Die Salzmänner von Tibet

Ulrike Koch

Margen, Pargen

Four men from a nomadic Tibetan tribe undertake their annual, ritualistic pilgrimage to a sacred salt lake. Salt gathered in this traditional fashion will be sold to provide the economic livelihood of the tribe for the coming year. The journey, necessary for the group's survival, also incorporates a number of rituals necessary for their culture to survive in the modern world.

Ässhäk - Geschichten aus der Sahara

Ulrike Koch

Shots, scenery and traditions of some Tuareg (plural of Targi) tribes, the Berber pre-Arab native camel-mounted nomads of the Sahara and bordering Sahel region. Their favorite pastime are stories, mixing truth, dreams, legends and poetic liberty, mainly told by the elderly and professional "griot", in tents or by the campfire, often accompanied on the single-string imzhad bow instrument. The central concept is "asshak", their ancient honor code, which stands for virtue, Allah's will and respect for life.