MY LENS, MY LAND

U.S.A | Short Documentary | 2024 | 24 mins | Tibetan with English Subtitles

About The Film

Daze, a Tibetan nomad, transformed his life with a camera. Documenting traditions and threats to the homeland, his philosophical films become a call to action, a lifeline for plateau creatures.

Screenings

Where to Watch

Where It’s Been Shown

Director's Statement

As human expansion and climate change shrink natural habitats, the land struggles to rejuvenate. Amidst this fragility, Daze’s camera—a rare presence on the grassland—does more than document; it sparks reflection and quiet action.

The Tibetan nomadic philosophy of living in harmony with all beings, combined with the camera’s power to inspire change, moved me to pick up my own camera. Not just to witness, but to join the conversation between people, land, and the future.

Story Description

In My Lens, My Land, vérité scenes and Daze’s voice reveal the quiet, secluded life of his family in Tibet’s Amdo region, 14,000 feet above sea level. Here, nomadic Tibetans live in deep harmony with the land and all living beings.

Yet beneath this serenity, a hidden threat grows. Since 1984, the grasslands have steadily deteriorated due to an overpopulation of pikas—small, burrowing mammals related to rabbits that damage vegetation and destabilize the ecosystem. Despite government efforts such as reseeding and poisoning, the degradation persists. Daze, both a native nomad and filmmaker, has spent years capturing this slow-moving ecological crisis through his lens.

The film interweaves his family’s poetic daily life, his profound films, and tender conversations with his daughter — quietly revealing how the camera reshapes his consciousness. This awakening leads Daze to take bold, grassroots action, mobilizing his community to restore the ecosystem and heal the land.

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Featuring

Daze

He has been a member of the Nyantsog Conservation Association since 2010. After studying filmmaking with From Our Eyes, a nonprofit based in Yunnan, China, he founded his own nonprofit film group, Nyanmecang, in 2014. The name—meaning Nyanbo Yutse Mountain, Eyes, and Family—reflects his intimate bond with the land, observation, and community.

Through films like Yak Dung, Pika, and Homeland, Daze has created a body of work that bridges ecological observation with quiet resistance, echoing from the Tibetan Plateau to audiences around the world. His films are often shot with minimal means but deep insight, revealing the resilience of land and people alike.

Daze and his team rely on public donations to continue their grassroots filmmaking and conservation efforts. They are currently applying for a new round of funding. If you’re interested in supporting their work, feel free to contact me.

Family Members

Dorjee Tso, Kawa Tso, Dawa Tsering, Galang Dawa

Credits

Producer/Director Ke Chen

Cinematographer/Editor  Ke Chen

Translators  Tenzin Dhargyal, Kawa Tso, Jigme Dorjee, Thupa, Tashi Dhondup, Youdon Kyi, Tsewang Gyal, Ugyen Namgyal

Local Referer  Bing Lyu, Tenzin Dhargyal

Executive Producer  Marcia Rock

Story Consultant  Marcia Rock, Shimon Dotan

Editing Consultant  Marcia Rock, Aviva Slesin, Shimon Dotan

Composer  Yilun Song

Ending Song Singer  Dorjee Tso

Poster Designer Yaoting Wang

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