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

Screenings

Where to Watch

  • 44th Nordic Anthropological Film Association (NAFA) International Ethnographic Film Festival (2025), Museum of Macedonia, Skopje, North Macedonia - Official Selection [20:00, Thurs, 9th Oct]

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

My Lens, My Land transports viewers to the remote grasslands of Tibet’s Amdo region, 14,000 feet above sea level, where nomadic Tibetans live in deep harmony with the land and all living beings, guided by their Buddhist beliefs. Through vérité scenes and Daze’s intimate narration, the film reveals the quiet, secluded beauty of his family’s life, deeply attuned to the rhythms of nature.

Yet beneath this serenity lies a fragile truth: since 1984, the grasslands have steadily deteriorated due to an overpopulation of pikas—small, burrowing mammals that damage vegetation and destabilize the ecosystem. Despite decades of government interventions, the degradation continues.

As both a native nomad and filmmaker, Daze has spent years capturing this slow-moving crisis. The camera becomes more than a tool—it reshapes his consciousness. Interweaving his family’s poetic daily life, haunting footage, and tender conversations with his daughter, the film traces his transformation behind the lens. This awakening compels him to act, mobilizing his community to restore balance and heal the land.

More than a portrait, My Lens, My Land is an urgent conversation—between people, place, and the uncertain future they must confront together.

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

Next
Next

ABANDONED AMERICA