BALI: BEATS OF PARADISE, acquired by Hydro Studios opens in select theaters in Los Angeles and New York on November 16th.
Directed and produced by Livi Zheng (Brush with Danger) and featuring Grammy Award-winning vocalist Judith Hill (20 Feet from Stardom), the original documentary pulls back the curtain on Gamelan music and Nyoman Wenten – a celebrated Indonesian composer who sets out to pay homage to the sacred but shrinking tradition of Balinese music and dance, Gamelan. Hill and Westen decided to create a collaboration that blends the sounds of classic funk with the beats of Bali in a music video called, “QUEEN OF THE HILL,” that catapults Gamelan into the digital age.
ABOUT NYOMAN WENTEN:
Nyoman Wenten is one of Bali’s most accomplished and versatile dancers and musicians, Wenten is known for his creative East-West fusions, he has composed musical works that include a unique fusion of gamelan music and Western elements, collaborating with artists such as David Rosenboom, Morton Subotnick, Sardono Kusumo, Vinny Golia, William Miranda and Larry Reed, among others.
Wenten was born in Sading village, Bali, to a family with several generations of musicians and artists. His earliest studies were with his grandfather, who was a master puppeteer, musician and dancer. He completed his traditional education in Indonesia and earned a doctoral degree in Ethnomusicology from University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) . Wenten currently teaches in the department of Ethnomusicology at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music and CalArts School of Music.
ABOUT LIVI ZHENG:
Livi Zheng is a critically-acclaimed director and producer. Zheng made her film production debut in 2014 with BRUSH WITH DANGER, a thriller about the complex world of martial arts. The film was distributed theatrically in the US and internationally and garnered international acclaim and Zheng was prestigiously recognized by the Los Angeles Times for her work. Zheng earned her M.F.A in Film Production at the University of Southern California; previously having earned her B.A. in Economics from the University of Washington-Seattle. Zheng has been a guest speaker on topics spanning film, culture and international business. To date, she has lectured at over 30 universities worldwide including Yale University, University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, University of California-Los Angeles, New York Film Academy, and Communication University of China.
I was fortunate to be able to speak with Livi Zheng about her soulful, mesmerizing film, and what’s next.
The video and film are passionately rich with Indonesian flavor. Are you from Bali?
Livi Zheng. I am from another small island in Indonesia. Indonesia is made up of over 17, 000 islands! I moved to Beijing as a teenager and that is where I developed a fascination with Martial Arts.
I know your film, ‘Brush with Danger’ is about Martial Arts, but I didn’t know you were a Martial Arts expert.
Livi Zheng. Yes, I studied with Jet Li. I was a big competitor and garnered 36 medals and trophies.
‘Queen of the Hill’ video is a knockout. How did you decide to collaborate with Judith Hill?
Livi Zheng. Judith had approached me about working with her on a show. One thing lead to another and Wenten felt she was perfect to weave together and fuse the two styles of music and dance.
The ‘Beats of Paradise’ trailer clearly reveals Nyoman Wenten’s dedication to his art form. What inspired the creation of such a unique visual story?
Livi Zheng. Yes, I am honored to be part of Wenten’s legacy. He is retiring soon, and has tirelessly shared his roots and knowledge of traditional Indonesian music and dance. I hope ‘Bali: Beats of Paradise‘, brings his exciting journey and contribution to global culture to the world.
What’s up next for Livi Zheng?
Livi Zheng. I am post-production on a Martial Arts Action film called ‘Insight’, about to brothers who have a sixth sense.
HYDRO STUDIOS:
Our entertainment marketing and distribution group thrives on versatility and specializes in the theatrical release of event-driven and issue-based films, providing value-added distribution through unique, alternative means to reach audiences nationwide. From museums, libraries, and university campuses to independently-owned art house theaters, major multiplexes, community centers, and much more, we utilize one-of-a-kind vertically integrated model to build powerfully engaged audiences on a broad scale in settings typical and atypical. Recent select distribution credits include: SOUFRA directed by Thomas Morgan, HEAL directed by Kelly Noonan and REQUIEM FOR A RUNNING BACK directed by Rebecca Carpenter.www.hydrostudios.com
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