Socotra, the Land of Djinns

The main character of this film is an island: the mysterious and remote Socotra on the edge of the Indian Ocean. This legendary nesting place of the phoenix, laden with frankincense, myrrh, and dragon's blood trees, is home to numerous flora and fauna found nowhere else on earth. In this alien land we join a group of camel herders making its way to the island's isolated inner region before the rainy season begins. By day they lead their camels across rocky terrain singing haunting tunes in a dialect so ancient it's almost forgotten. By night they prepare food using age-old methods and gather around crackling fires, where they tell tales of djinns and other supernatural beings whose antics seem no more mystifying than the men themselves. This gorgeous film is shot in black and white and features no narration. The sound design is crisp and bewitching - clouds wisp through mountain passes, camels crunch along dusty trails, and campfires never sounded so enchanting. (Full Frame Documentary Film Festival)