DIRECTED by: Eric BEAUFILS et Fitzgerald JEGO

Panama, a country of multiple facets, is nestled between two continents and two oceans. Here, to push back against globalization Indian tribes hold on to their land and their identity. They try to preserve their concept of beauty, far from the sequins and high heels that are fashionable in the capital, Panama City.

Voyaging to the Caribbean Sea, Françoise Spiekermeier meets the Kuna people who live on the archipelago of San Blas. She spends time with Mirna who teaches her about making a mola, the sumptuous traditional garment of the Kuna women. A piece of embroidery that can take a month to create and which incarnates the identity of this people that live to the rhythm and whims of the sea.

Françoise then discovers the Emberra tribe in a jungle close to the Colombian border. Very quickly, a strong bond grows between Françoise and Edilsa. She shares the woman’s daily life, her secrets and learns the traditional art of painting which adorns the bodies of the tribe’s men and women. The ephemeral tattoos are symbols of the struggle the Emberra waged to exist in a country that’s rapidly changing.

DIRECTED by : Jean-Baptiste ERRECA

The traditional peoples in the south of Ethiopia still live in harmony with nature. Their beauty rituals reflect the perfect alliance that links them to their environment. Françoise Spiekermeier will make an initiatory journey to the heart of three tribes, surrounded by captivating landscapes.

With the Suri tribe, she will try to understand the signification of the labret, the labial disk: is it a personality trait or a social status marker? Why have certain young women decided to no longer wear it? The visit is also an opportunity to partake in an intensive jewelry-making class, another of the Suri’s long-held traditions.

Next Gadi, a member of the Hamer tribe, will teach Françoise how to apply ochre, the main ingredient of their beauty ritual to the hair and body. A special rite as ochre has become rare. The men of the tribe have rituals to share too, they teach her the secrets to making their clay headdresses.

The journey ends on the banks of the Omo River, immersed in the Karo tribe, masters of body painting with a palette of powder and jade. The rite takes place during the harvest and also serves to protect the skin from the inescapable Ethiopian sun.

An unforgettable voyage, an authentic account with questions about the future of these ancestral practices delicately woven in. What if these rituals become nothing more than protest acts against the ways of the Western world?

Along the almost 3000 kilometers from the Pakistani border to the Chinese border, Françoise Spiekermeier travels India at its widest part. A country where beauty rhymes with diversity.

At Ahmedabad in the Gujarat, she meets two young sisters, Melka and Mossam who teach her about the art of the sari, beauty rituals and reveal the influence of the divinities on fashion. And how new generations have appropriated ancient traditions and adapted them in their daily life.

Next stop, the desert with a visit to the village of Bhuj, a kind of gigantic open-air sewing store where people from all over the region converge. A chance to get to know the Meghals, a fabric-weaving people whose homes are decorated with geometric and brightly-colored designs. Françoise then goes to the opposite extreme to meet the Rabaris: here, men only dress in white and women only in black!

Her voyage ends in the enclave of Nagaland, a region closed since the Second World War, that has just recently reopened its borders. Of Tibeto-Burman origins, the Nagas are reputed for being formidable headhunters! Received by the Queen on the occasion of the Spring festival, Françoise discovers traditions and beliefs quite different from the Hindu tradition.

DIRECTED by: Jean-Marie BARRERE

Françoise Spiekermeier begins her journey with the Hulis at the gates of the impenetrable Highlands mountain range. She is accompanied by Malumu into the surrounding forest on a natural shopping expedition for raw materials that will be used to create headdresses, necklaces and skirts for the next celebration, the sing-sing! But be careful, women aren’t allowed to touch the feathers, or they’ll lose their power!

Further west in the Highlands, Françoise meets the Tambuls. Here, it’s the women that create the adornments. Françoise shares day-to-day life with Rosa. The opportunity to discover a woman whose character and personal history reveals an unsuspected facet of Papuan culture.

Several hours drive from the capital of Port Moresby, Françoise joins the Remura women. They perpetuate the secrets of the coconut and its virtues, a veritable treasure none of which goes to waste. The oil and the cream they concoct become powerful arms of seduction which they'll put to good use at the upcoming celebration…

Back at the heart of the island, Françoise meets the Mudmen. Unlike other Papuan tribes, their goal is not seduction. Earthen masks stuck with pig’s teeth, bodies covered in mud, they parade about with a single goal: ward off intruders and enemies…

A unique journey of encounters with colorful tribes where both men and women share the task of passing on age-old traditions.

DIRECTED by: Jill COULON

Françoise Spiekermeier begins her journey in a place where the world’s beauty clichés have not yet taken hold.

In the Guangxi region, the Miaos cultivate camellias for its oil. Why? Because women there only cut their hair once in their lives and use it to nourish their incredible tresses.

A three-hour walk through the mountains to the Yao people for some body treatments: traditional hair removal, daily bath with twenty medicinal plants. A wonderful way to relax and prepare for the next destinations.

In Beijing, culture shock guaranteed. Meet Chen Man, a famous photographer who, through her images, makes the case for a new Chinese identity.

Shanghai offers surprising encounters, from manga-inspired Lolitas to clubs advocating traditional clothing choices. Like Madame Wang who has created a school to learn proper etiquette when wearing the traditional dress, the gipao. Posture, footwork… and even how to use a cell phone.

A trip across a land strongly anchored in its traditions, and once again faced with an unavoidable revolution.