Screening guide.

1. Before the day

• Book a room for about 1 hour 45 minutes. That covers the film, an introduction and a Q&A or discussion.
• Test the screening file on the projector and computer you will use, at least a day before. Check that the subtitles display.
• Prioritise sound. The music of the plung flute is at the heart of the film. Use proper speakers rather than laptop audio if you can.
• Darken the room as much as possible. Much of the festival in the film takes place through the night.
• If the director is joining in person or online, confirm the time, a working microphone and, for online Q&As, a tested video call link and speaker setup.
• Share the content note in your event announcement so viewers know the film shows an animal sacrifice.
• Print the QR materials we provide, so viewers can rate the film, share feedback or get their own copy.

2. Suggested running order

Time	What happens
0:00	Welcome and a short introduction to the film (5 minutes)
0:05	Screening (55 minutes)
1:00	Short break for questions to form (5 minutes)
1:05	Q&A with the director, or a facilitated discussion (30 to 40 minutes)
1:45	Close: point viewers to the QR code to rate the film and join the mailing list

3. Introducing the film

Keep the introduction short and let the film speak. You might say:

In the hills of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Manle, a master maker of the plung, a bamboo flute, learns that his young child is ill. In the Mru tradition, only the gods can restore health, through a festival of music, dance and sacrifice called Chiasodpoi. The film was shot over one year in Bandarban, largely in the Mru language, and took two more years to edit. It begins on mobile phones charged by solar power, and it documents a ritual that is rarely recorded on film.

Then give the content note: the film shows the ritual sacrifice of animals, which is central to the ritual. Viewers are welcome to look away or step out briefly.

4. Watching with respect

• The people in the film are real members of a living community, not historical subjects. Encourage viewers to talk about them with the same respect they would want for their own beliefs.
• Avoid words like “primitive”, “tribal” or “exotic”. Prefer “Indigenous”, “the Mru community” or “Mru people”.
• The sacrifice is a religious act with deep meaning for the community. Discussion can question and explore it, but should start from understanding what it means to those who perform it.
• Please do not record or photograph the screen during the film.

5. After the screening

• Use the discussion guide if the director is not present, or to continue the conversation in class.
• Ask viewers to rate the film on IMDb or log it on Letterboxd. It helps more people find it.
• Send us a few photos of the event and any student responses you are happy to share. We may feature them on this website, with your permission.