Tashi's Turbine

Amitabh Raj Joshi's documentary focuses on an effort by two men to bring electrical power to a remote Nepalese village via a do-it-yourself clean energy project. Tashi Bista works as a telemarketer in Nepal's capital of Kathmandu, while Jeevan is a furniture maker. They learn about wind energy through Internet research and take it upon themselves to bring green technology by way of a turbine to the impoverished village of Namdok. Many factors work against them, ranging from problems in determining which households will receive the wind-powered electricity to assembling the mail-order equipment. It also doesn't help that the Himalayan winds are often fierce and can actually cripple turbines—an earlier effort by Nepal's government to install a turbine failed when the wind caused irreparable damage to a tower. Yet the two men, working with local residents, slowly plot their strategy and carefully arrange for the installation and accompanying wiring. Although the film's pacing is sometimes sluggish, the exhilaration in watching the project come together is joyful, and the film is ultimately rewarding as a tribute to the power of patience in the face of incredible odds. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)