Himalaya

High altitudes, endless vistas, and jagged terrain await all those who choose to traverse the beautiful, forbidding Himalayas. Photographer/filmmaker Eric Valli and his film crew braved the Dolpo region of Nepal to create Himalaya, the first Nepalese film to be nominated for an Academy Award. Himalaya is the story of a struggle between an old, charismatic chief and a headstrong young caravan leader as they attempt to make the annual salt-delivery trek across the Himalayas.In this new book, National Geographic contributor Debra Kellner tells the behind-the-scenes story of the making of this unique adventure film, which provides an invaluable impression of Tibetan culture and its rich, rapidly disappearing traditions. Keller's full-color photographs of the land and the film's mostly non-professional cast are accompanied by her journal entries, which record her observations of the hardships and challenges that faced the filmmakers.