Friends in High Places
(eVideo)

Book Cover
Average Rating
Contributors
Merrison, Lindsey, producer,
Hlaing, Wynn, contributor.
Kann Oo, Wei Wei, contributor.
Swan, Ah, contributor.
Tin, Ohn, contributor.
Published
[San Francisco, California, USA] : Kanopy Streaming, 2014.
Status

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Format
eVideo
Language
bur

Notes

General Note
Title from title frames.
Date/Time and Place of Event
Originally produced by Documentary Educational Resources in 2001.
Description
“Buddhism and nat worship are like mangoes and bananas” Whether contending with a deceitful daughter-in-law, forecasting financial prospects for a tea shop, or freeing a husband from government detainment, Friends in High Places reveals the central role of nats and spirit mediums in alleviating the day to day burdens of modern Burmese life. “Leprosy isnt as contagious as peoples problems,” notes one medium, “my clients bring their worries into my home. I dont need to go out on the street to learn how cruel life can be.” Yet despite their skills in channeling good luck for others, the life stories of the mediums prove to be as poignant as the stories of those who seek their assistance. Just as nats lie somewhere on the spectrum between mortals and the divine, the gay men who serve as primary conduits for the nat spirits are considered to be neither male nor female. Regarded by society with a curious mix of disdain and reverence, the male mediums profiled in this film ranging from the gentle, melancholy “Lady Silver Wings” to the hard drinking, ego-driven “Mr. Famous” illustrate the special niche granted to gay men in Burmese society. Exquisite footage accentuates Lindsey Merrison's keen eye for nuance as she takes the viewer on a journey examining the extremes that define Burmese spirit mediums and their way of life. Deceit and artistry, tragedy and comedy, faith and cynicism in a country known both as a 2,500 year bastion of Buddhism and more recently for its legacy of political corruption and instability, the world of the nat becomes an analogy for the many unusual juxtapositions within Burma itself.
System Details
Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Citations

APA Citation, 7th Edition (style guide)

Merrison, L., Hlaing, W., Kann Oo, W. W., Swan, A., & Tin, O. (2014). Friends in High Places . Kanopy Streaming.

Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)

Lindsey, Merrison et al.. 2014. Friends in High Places. Kanopy Streaming.

Chicago / Turabian - Humanities (Notes and Bibliography) Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)

Lindsey, Merrison et al.. Friends in High Places Kanopy Streaming, 2014.

MLA Citation, 9th Edition (style guide)

Merrison, Lindsey,, et al. Friends in High Places Kanopy Streaming, 2014.

Note! Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy. Citation formats are based on standards as of August 2021.

Staff View

Grouped Work ID
474ee369-ac9a-dd87-a0af-74e53f05c5b6-bur
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Grouping Information

Grouped Work ID474ee369-ac9a-dd87-a0af-74e53f05c5b6-bur
Full titlefriends in high places
Authorkanopy
Grouping Categorymovie
Last Update2024-03-15 10:54:27AM
Last Indexed2024-03-28 00:36:30AM

Book Cover Information

Image Sourcesideload
First LoadedJun 8, 2022
Last UsedNov 24, 2023

Marc Record

First DetectedOct 02, 2014 12:00:00 AM
Last File Modification TimeMar 15, 2024 10:55:16 AM

MARC Record

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5203 |a “Buddhism and nat worship are like mangoes and bananas” Whether contending with a deceitful daughter-in-law, forecasting financial prospects for a tea shop, or freeing a husband from government detainment, Friends in High Places reveals the central role of nats and spirit mediums in alleviating the day to day burdens of modern Burmese life. “Leprosy isnt as contagious as peoples problems,” notes one medium, “my clients bring their worries into my home. I dont need to go out on the street to learn how cruel life can be.” Yet despite their skills in channeling good luck for others, the life stories of the mediums prove to be as poignant as the stories of those who seek their assistance. Just as nats lie somewhere on the spectrum between mortals and the divine, the gay men who serve as primary conduits for the nat spirits are considered to be neither male nor female. Regarded by society with a curious mix of disdain and reverence, the male mediums profiled in this film ranging from the gentle, melancholy “Lady Silver Wings” to the hard drinking, ego-driven “Mr. Famous” illustrate the special niche granted to gay men in Burmese society. Exquisite footage accentuates Lindsey Merrison's keen eye for nuance as she takes the viewer on a journey examining the extremes that define Burmese spirit mediums and their way of life. Deceit and artistry, tragedy and comedy, faith and cynicism in a country known both as a 2,500 year bastion of Buddhism and more recently for its legacy of political corruption and instability, the world of the nat becomes an analogy for the many unusual juxtapositions within Burma itself.
538 |a Mode of access: World Wide Web.
65004|a Burmese.
650 4|a Politics.
650 4|a Sociology.
650 4|a Buddhism.
650 4|a Gender.
650 4|a Sexuality.
650 4|a Spiritual possession.
650 4|a Religion.
7001 |a Merrison, Lindsey,|e producer,|e author.
7001 |a Hlaing, Wynn,|e contributor.
7001 |a Kann Oo, Wei Wei,|e contributor.
7001 |a Swan, Ah,|e contributor.
7001 |a Tin, Ohn,|e contributor.
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