Sergi Ricart's Mekong River Documentary Screens in Ordino

Sergi Ricart's documentary *El riu dels set noms* screens at the ACCO in Ordino on Monday, January 26, at 9pm, as part of the Cicle de Cinema de Muntanya i Viatges.

The film chronicles an extended journey along the Mekong River, a major Southeast Asian waterway spanning about 4,500 kilometres from its source on the Tibetan plateau above 5,000 metres. It flows through sparsely populated highland prairies and rocky terrain in Tibet, then into China's Yunnan province, where it runs parallel to the Yangtze and Salween rivers for 300 kilometres through steep 2,000-metre valleys flanked by peaks over 6,000 metres. Further downstream in Southeast Asia, including the Golden Triangle region where Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos meet, the river becomes calmer and more navigable, supporting densely populated riverbanks amid extraordinary cultural and linguistic diversity. Crossing multiple borders, it takes on different names in each territory, inspiring the film's title.

Ricart, a high-mountain guide, avalanche instructor, photographer, illustrator, and creator, emphasises that the documentary transcends typical adventure tales. "I wanted to go a bit further than just recounting Sergi going on holiday," he said. Instead, it highlights a slow-travel ethos without rigid schedules, dictated by weather and local rhythms. He journeyed solo through early high-altitude sections, carrying all gear and allowing extended pauses—up to a week—to forge genuine connections with places and people. "My way of travelling has no calendar. The only thing I considered was finding good weather," he explained. Such pauses enabled writing, drawing, filming, and photography, plus building rapport, like market vendors greeting him by the third day.

This river-following method evolved from earlier Himalayan trips in India. A seven-month journey first reached the Ganges, delivering a powerful aesthetic and photographic impact. The following year, an eight-month expedition devoted four months to tracing it, revealing human stories in remote villages. Later, mapping an Asia return, Ricart spotted the Mekong linking his desired regions.

Ricart views tracking rivers and ranges—five in total, including the Pyrenees and Andes—as life metaphors: immense undertakings that demand respect but progress through steady increments. Filmed on location, the project took years of solo editing alongside his work before its 2022 debut. It has since earned acclaim at festivals from audiences and specialists alike.

Reflecting on his travels, Ricart noted they sharpen focus on essentials: making the most of every moment, cherishing nature, and affirming universal human goodness. "In general, everywhere in the world, people are good," he said. "Hospitality remains a sacred value. If you trust someone, they usually trust you back. Everyone has opened their home to me."

The Ordino screening invites audiences to experience travel centred on time, environment, and bonds, with the river setting the course.