About the Film
Filmmaker Joua learned that Hmong shamans determined that she would one day become a shaman. She embarked on a journey to capture her experiences and to learn from other shamans about this ancestral spiritual practice and how it is shifting in her generation in America. Joua follows the stories of other shamans and everyday Hmong Americans as they share what it is like to be at the cross-section of identity, cultures and communities.
The film is currently in development and early production.
About Hmong people:
The Hmong are an indigenous minority group originally from land that is now southwestern China. Due to their desire to exist independently to practice their language, culture and traditions, they have long resisted forced assimilation and have a long history of fleeing from war. The Hmong are most known as hill tribe people who live on mountainsides throughout northern Southeast Asia. After America’s Secret War in Laos, the Hmong fled as refugees across the world. The largest Hmong community hub in America is in the Twin Cities (Saint Paul & Minneapolis in Minnesota).
About Hmong Spirituality:
In Hmong spirituality, shamans/spiritual healers are called upon by community to perform healing rituals to address physical and mental illness or to provide spiritual cleansing. Healers are well respected and spend a lot of time meeting the needs of their community.
The Hmong terms for shaman are “txiv neeb” (tsee neng) and “niam neeb” (nia neng). In America, they are called “shaman” in the English language. Some prefer the term “spiritual healer.”
About the Film:
This film is currently in progress. Please sign up for our newsletter to keep up with this project. Consider supporting.
Support the film.
Support the film by donating through our fiscal sponsor & producing partner Kartemquin Films. Your donation will be tax deductible.
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IN-KIND DONATIONS: If you would like to provide in-kind support,
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Team
Producer & Director: Joua Lee Grande
Producer: Nicole Tsien
Associate Producer: July Vang
Camera team: Rachel Mueller & Kou Lee
Editor: Hannah Choe
Emeritus Editor: Cameron Yang
