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LAYA PROJECT

By Harold MONFILS

MONFILS PICTURES LIMITED - as PROD

Documentary - Completed 2007

Six shores sharing one ocean, one sky, and one language of survival and music.

- Year of production
- 2007
- Genres
- Documentary, Art - Culture
- Countries
- UNITED KINGDOM, INDIA, MALAYSIA
- Duration
- 64 mn
- Director(s)
- Harold MONFILS
- Cast
- The People Of SRI-LANKA, THAILAND, MYANMAR, INDIA, INDONESIA & MALDIVES
- Producer(s)
- Sonya MAZUMDAR (EarthSync Pvt.Ltd)
- Synopsis
- On 26th December 2004 a Richter 9.1 megathrust earthquake unleashed off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia triggering a series of devastating tsunamis along most of the landmasses bordering the Indian Ocean. By the end of that day over 200,000 people were dead or missing with millions homeless in 11 countries.
  
  Over a period of 2 years, going from village to village, through six countries, all connected by one ocean and affected by one disaster, Dutch filmmaker Harold Monfils along with an international team left on an incredible journey that took them to remote areas of Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia, Maldives, India and Myanmar to record ancient and forgotten folk music. Working with mostly unknown local musicians, from remote coastal communities in makeshift on-location ‘studios’: beaches, jungles, huts and hotel rooms.
  
  The film ‘Laya Project’ is not a tsunami documentary with shots of human suffering and lost slippers in the sand. It is a positive take on how people are moving on and a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit after one of the largest natural disasters ever recorded.
  
  Laya Project does more than just bring the music to life, it made it precious. The music itself lives a fragile existence through the hearts of the people in these affected regions and as time passes its own existence may disappear altogether.
  
  While based on regional folk music traditions, the recordings are unique and brought to life for a contemporary audience. Laya Project mixes and enhances the original recordings, crossing boundaries of genre while preserving the music of the people.
  
  The film has been screened worldwide on National Geographic Channel and internationally recognized; winning Best Film in Byron Bay Australia, Best Documentary in New York and acclaimed at international film festivals from Italy to Zanzibar.
  
  For the international team who came together for this production, Laya Project is dedicated to the survivors of the 26 December 2004 Asian tsunami.
  
  Laya Project was produced by EarthSync Ltd at their recording studio Clementine (India) in association with Monfils Pictures Sdn. Bhd., formerly know as Boo Film Sdn. Bhd.(Malaysia).
  
  The film and music is available online at www.laya project.com.