Back in 2004, Pema Tseden shot this documentary short for Discovery Channel Asia, which focuses on the waning concept of the Weathermen, Buddhist shamans who are considered to have the ability to influence the weather in favor of the farmers. The documentary is shot in Pema Tseden's hometown, and follows one of the last of such men.
The elderly man continues the tradition of practicing his hailstorm-stopping and rain-making abilities, which has been going on for generations. However, he is saddened to see the concept of the Weatherman disappearing, both due to technology (locals use cannons that shoot projectiles to the sky for the same purpose, instead) and because the generation following, and particularly his son, have their minds elsewhere. The documentary also presents the connection between shamanism and Buddhism and the history of the concept of the weathermen.
Discovery Channel seemed to have a distinct purpose of presenting the mystery surrounding these men, with the somewhat pompous English narration giving the film an almost forced ritualistic essence. Even in that setting, though, Pema Tseden has managed to include one of his trademark comments, of the disappearance of tradition in the face of (Chinese-driven) modernity. The fact that the weatherman's son is more concerned with bringing Chinese TV series to the area and screen them for money, definitely moves in that direction, giving the documentary a rather dramatic essence, particularly because the weatherman's disappointment is quite obvious. At the same time, however, Pema Tseden presents a sense of hope that derives from the grandson, who was beginning to learn the “art” at the time.
In less than half an hour, Pema Tseden also presents the beauties of the area, with particularly the images of the rich harvest being very impressive, although the focus is on realism and not creating a cart-postale of the area. This realism becomes more obvious in the depiction of the life of the weatherman and his son, amidst the images of the area and the practices of Buddhism. A competent job has also been done in the editing, with the connection among the various mediums (interviews, footage from the actual lives of the inhabitants, images of the area etc) flowing in artful fashion, and in a speed that adds to the entertainment the film offers.
“The Weatherman's Legacy” is a very interesting short about an almost completely unknown concept, which Pema Tseden has induced with the omnipresent, in his filmography, theme of the clash between tradition and modernity, thus adding another layer of interest in the film.
