Kingdom of the Little People

Kunming & Lugu Lake

Mid to end November 2013

Digital Patrik Wallner Kunming Amongst Giants LOWQ 2000P w WMThe random e-mails that come through here and there regarding work, projects or ideas can lead nowhere or also sometimes somewhere really bizarre, like to a Kingdom of Little People!

Digital Patrik Wallner Kunming Angry Bride LOWQ 2000P w WMThe people at VICE in the States came up with the idea to go to this amusement park in the Yunnan Province of China which hires only little people who perform shows daily for the bigger people.

Digital Patrik Wallner Kunming The Guardian LOWQ 2000P w WMWe spend two days filming within the park, talking to its employees, walking around their dorms and tried to analyze if this is just a cruel way to discriminate or mock people who have had the unfortunate disadvantage of being born with a disorder which leaves them at a small stature for the rest of their life.

Digital Patrik Wallner Kunming The Guardian Salutes LOWQ 2000P w WMI personally thought that the owners of the park (which are normal sized) see this whole charades as a way to make money. It does degrade their employees, but there was something also very touching when we realized that they also felt a bit free in this environment where they did find work and were amongst other people who are suffering the same disease.

Digital Patrik Wallner Kunming Ping Pong LOWQ 2000P w WMBesides the two shows that the employees are required to perform in daily, they are mainly free to do what they want. Most of them are quite bored, others get into some ping-pong with the larger employees also working at the park.

Digital Patrik Wallner Kunming Ping Pong Audiance LOWQ 2000P w WMAt times I almost forget they were in their 20s, since some of their faces just resemble a child’s visage.

Digital Patrik Wallner Kunming Dwarf King LOWQ 2000P w WMThe King of the Little People incognito.

Digital Patrik Wallner Kunming Kingdom of Boredom LOWQ 2000P w WMA lot of the employes date each other or have online relationships. The short VICE documentary gets into the lives and love of these little people.

Digital Patrik Wallner Kunming Tug a War against Grown Up LOWQ 2000P w WMThe ultimate Tug of war between Big and Small!

Production by Vice.com

Filmed by Jonathon Lim & Patrik Wallner

Digital Patrik Wallner Kunming Tai Chi 2 LOWQ 2000P w WMKunming

Digital Patrik Wallner Lugu Lake Close to Tibet LOWQ 2000P w WMAfter finishing the piece on the Kingdom, we flew north to Lijiang and drove to Shangloushui by Lugu Lake, close to Tibet to film the Mosou tribe, the last matriarchy society left on earth.

Digital Patrik Wallner Lugu Lake Older Lady LOWQ 2000P w WMApparently the women don’t marry men and hold the underhand in the relationships. Men have to sing into the women’s heart so they get to go to bed with them.

Digital Patrik Wallner Lugu Lake Down The Street LOWQ 2000P w WMBeing close to Tibet feels nice, minus the altitude sickness that comes with it.

Digital Patrik Wallner Lugu Lake Annette 1 LOWQ 2000P w WMAnnette our host for the shoot, scrolling through a tiny temple in the middle of Lugu Lake.

Digital Patrik Wallner Lugu Lake Boat LOWQ 2000P w WMA solution to all the pollution in Beijing. Move into the mountains of the Yunnan Province!

Digital Patrik Wallner Lugu Lake Pig Slaughter LOWQ 2000P w WMLuckily while we were in town, there was a pig sacrificing ceremony. Filming a pig run for its life was something daunting, but the fresh served pork served from the aftermath was a delight.