A small, light-colored monkey sits on a branch surrounded by green leaves, like a creature from Shangri-La. Its mouth is open, appearing to be vocalizing or making a facial expression. The background is blurred, highlighting this mystery monkey as the main subject.
A mysterious monkey is partially hidden among orange and yellow autumn leaves, peeking through a dense thicket with a curious expression. The vibrant foliage creates a warm and colorful backdrop reminiscent of Shangri-La's enchanting aura.
Two monkeys huddle together on a mossy tree branch during gentle snowfall in the mystical landscape of Shangri-La, surrounded by blurred green foliage. One monkey peeks over the other's back, creating a cozy and intimate scene in this serene natural setting.

Mystery Monkeys of Shangri-La

Nature & Wildlife·1 x 53 min·Completed

This film documents rare Black and White snub-nosed monkeys, following a two-year journey that captures their unique family dynamics, tragedy, and resilience.

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Genre
Nature & Wildlife
Duration
1 × 53 min
Definition
HD
Audio
5.1
Status
Completed
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Synopsis

Strangely beautiful. As endangered as the Giant panda. Charismatic, but elusive – until now. This is the first time that the rare Black and White snub-nosed monkeys are thoroughly documented.

The far eastern corner of the Himalayas has been cut off from the modern world for centuries. In Yunnan Province, China, rumours of monkeys living at an altitude of 4,000 metres were only confirmed in the 1960s, and first filmed in the 1980s by a famous Chinese photographer, Xi Zhinong.

30 years on, and Xi Zhinong has brought together an ambitious two-year filming team, with two young cameramen, a scientist, rangers, porters, and half a ton of equipment and provisions. They set off over Himalayan passes, then descended into extraordinary deep valleys, like hidden gardens of birds and flowers, surrounded by mile-high walls.

The monkeys are odd looking, with upside-down noses, huge red lips and haunting almond eyes. They are famously calm and gentle. Each family has a big male who protects up to five mothers and their young. In spring, the camera team is able to film a newborn snub-nosed monkey for the first time, and later discover he is one of two half-brothers in the family. Each baby has its mother, but each mother is different. One baby is cossetted with care, the other often forgotten. He is left to the rest of the family to look after.

This prince-and-pauper story is unique and important, so the team decides to follow the two half-brothers. At nine months old, tragedy strikes when bachelor males attack the family. They kill the father, and split up the mothers. The little prince is safe, but the neglected baby has been abandoned by his mother again, thrown out of the family, and now must fend for himself. It’s midwinter, snowing, and the team assumes he will die. Yet, the little monkey shows an incredible toughness, and wins the hearts, not only of the team, but also of the dangerous bachelor males. For the next six months, the orphan spends his time searching for his mother and his lost playmate.

Snub-nosed monkeys are known for being particularly co-operative, and look after each other in a way that seems almost Buddhist. This is a story of friendship, love and loss, seen in part through the eyes of cameraman Jacky Poon, with the local Tibetan Buddhist monks providing a philosophical backdrop.

The orphaned baby finds his mother in spring, only to be rejected again. He is reunited with his playmate, only to lose him again as well when a new baby arrives in the family. Tragedy and redemption follow the story to its natural end.

This film is an extraordinary first and unique document of a rare and beautiful monkey, and a moving family drama. It reveals unknown science and ancient insight in equal measure.

Team

Written by Mark Fletcher
Produced by Xi Zhinong
Executive producers Ivo Filatsch, Sabine Holzer
Production Companies A co-production of Wild China Films, Mark Fletcher Productions Ltd., Terra Mater Factual Studios and THIRTEEN Productions LLC for WNET

Awards & Recognitions

Albert, France FIFA - Festival International du Film Animalier d'Albert Grand Prix 2017
Graz, Austria Mountainfilm Graz Grand Prix Graz 2016
Ménigoute, France Festival International du Film Ornithologique de Ménigoute Price Protection de la Nature 2016
Valtournenche and Breuil-Cervinia, Italy Cervino CineMountain Nomination (Category: Best Mountain Film of the Year) 2017
Albert, France FIFA - Festival International du Film Animalier d'Albert Nomination (Category: Best Sound) 2017
Albert, France FIFA - Festival International du Film Animalier d'Albert Nomination (Category: Best Editing) 2017
Rotterdam, Netherlands Wildlife Film Festival Rotterdam Nomination 2016
New York, USA News & Documentary Emmy® Awards Nomination (Category: Outstanding Nature Programming) 2016
Lihula, Estonia Matsalu Nature Film Festival Nomination 2016
Bois-de-Villers, Belgium Festival International Nature Namur Nomination 2016
Ludwigsburg, Germany NaturVision Nomination (Category: Filmmusikpreis) 2016
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