Nepal - Close to heaven

A film by André Hörmann | 2020 | arte | ZDF

A two-part documentary series

Nepal – A country between jungles and mountain deserts, tropical regions and ice cold mountain tops; one of the poorest countries on earth, yet fairytale-like; a mythical kingdom of gods and a spiritual paradise; a land of ancient cultures, many peoples and a moving history; a multi-religious country between tradition and modernity. The documentary will take us all across this Himalayan country with the highest mountains on earth, following the Mahendra Highway, the trade route from East to West.

The second part of “Nepal – Close to Heaven / from Manna to Bhim Datta” begins at icy cold altitudes, mountain lakes and on Himalayan mountaintops. From the Hindu pilgrimage site of Muktinath, via the ancient villages of the early Mustang kingdom, we reach Pokhara and the Phewa Lake. This is where the spectacular trekking tours into the Annapurna region with its eight-thousanders take off. Far below we see the green hills and rice terraces of Palpa and Buddha’s birthplace, one of the most important religious sites. In the vast plains of the western Terai we find the Bardia National park, home of hordes of monkeys, rare birds and of course the king of the jungle – the Royal Bengal Tiger. The hot plains are also home to the famously Malaria-resistant people of the Tharu. The film is an expedition into the natural beauties of Nepal, encountering people living in remote areas and environments that demand a lot of them.