THE GODS WILL NEVER DIE

(LES DIEUX NE MEURENT JAMAIS)

by Laurent Aubert, Ravi Gopalan Nair, Patricia Plattner and Johnathan Watts (52', 2004, vo ss st)

In Kerala, numerous rituals animate social and religious life. One of the most important is the Tirayattam or ‘Dance of Splendour’. For this occasion, the gods and ancestors manifest themselves on earth in order to bring their blessings to the villagers. Dancers with sumptuous makeup and costumes incarnate the gods, and their evolution follows the rhythms of percussion. This film, recorded between 1998 and 2003 during MEG field trips in Kerala, allows us to evaluate how this age-old tradition continues in a vibrant society that is currently undergoing great change.