In the Arms of Buddha and the Drum (1997)

The film is the story of the Kagai-ool family from Tuva. Tuva lies in Central Asia, in Siberia, not far from the Mongolian border. Mama and papa Kagai-ool live alone in a yurt, moving from the steppe to the forest and back several times a year. They have one horse, some sheep, goats and cattle. The entire Kagai-ool family depends on them in the coming winter. Their son Alexei is a stone carver and lives in the city of Kyzil but many things keep him tied to his home village. He is the modern nomad. City life does not prevent him from hearing the voices of the spirits who live in the stones he carves. The Kagai-ools are "in the arms of Buddha and the drum". Buddhism and shamanism have survived here in spite of the attempts of the communists to destroy people-s traditions and old beliefs. Buddha and the shaman are always present, even if the modern world has sometimes penetrated the traditional life stile.