THE SHAMAN AND DROPOUT PSYCHOLOGIST

Documentary,

United States

2025

Runtime, min

Filmed in Mongolia, this documentary is an intimate portrait of an elder female shaman named Altantsetseg. We have rare, complete access to be with Altantsetseg as she prepares for, and goes into a shaman's trance. Much of what is known about shamanism focuses on objects and rituals, because that is all the uninitiated can see. But shamans see with much more than their eyes alone. Many sacred healers within indigenous and native communities are still following the ways of the ancestors. Uniquely, this film was written and directed by first time filmmaker Frances Ulman, who is also an initiated shaman, and a mentee of Altantsetseg. Previously Frances was a clinical psychologist in the USA, but left it all behind when the spirits called her onto her path. This is a film about a shaman, directed by a shaman. The close, personal relationship between these two women from different parts of the world is the alchemy of the film. It allows us into spaces within shamanism others have not brought to the screen. The weaving of similarities and profound differences between Altantsetseg and Frances emerges as an exploration of shamanism and much more. We see decolonisation as an action, the power of relationships, the wisdom of a living drum, myths of western psychology, and ways of balancing living sacredly with cellphones. Living in a world that doesn't always remember, here we are shown a way home to our hearts. This film was made following the Shaman 95 Filmmaking Manifesto: “This film is a living being. The film creates itself.” -No pre-filming script -No second takes -No alteration of light and sound beyond what is natural, or already present on location -No outsider film crew: All filming is done by those who are also on camera participating in the actions captured on film -No false relationships: The main people on screen have longstanding and ongoing relationships with each other off screen -Nothing fake: All situations, actions, and objects are part of the regular life of a shaman and those in community with shamans -No pretending humans alone made this film

Director:

Frances Ulman

Selections and Awards:

REVIEWS:

I was trained to believe in statistics, in data, in diagnosis. And yet, here I am—watching spirits move through a woman’s body, hearing wisdom I was never taught, and questioning everything I thought I knew. Maybe truth isn’t just what we can measure.

Tom Kauss

Nothing is as it seems. Seeing something a thousand times doesn’t mean we truly see it. This film invites us to look beyond sight, to listen beyond sound. A cinematic meditation on the nature of perception and truth.

Federico Grün

A very interesting film! It touches on deep layers of the spiritual and energetic dimensions of life, stretching from ancient times and still relevant today. It reflects eternal values and the close connection between people, nature, and the subtle realms. The film shakes up the habitual mindset and opens the door to a new perception of oneself and the world around. However, it was somewhat difficult to watch. At times, it felt a bit drawn out. My attention would drift, and I had to re-engage with the film.

Anastasiia Live Screenings

This film doesn’t care if you believe in spirits. It doesn’t try to convince you. It simply exists. And that’s what makes it so frustratingly compelling. There are no ‘expert’ voices explaining things for us, no tidy conclusions. Just raw footage of a world most of us will never understand. Whether that’s genius or chaos depends on the viewer.

Daniel Rogers

Western psychology calls this delusion. Mongolian shamanism calls it spirit possession. Either way, it’s real for those who experience it. And this film doesn’t try to convince you—it just shows you. Whether you believe or not is up to you.

Andre Santana

The drum. The trance. The mask. The stare. The spirits. The trembling hands. No explanations. Just presence. Just feeling. I don’t have words for what I just saw.

Federico Passero

This is not just a documentary; it’s an initiation. The absence of a script, the rawness of the filmmaking, and the intimate gaze into Altantsetseg’s world create something beyond cinema—it’s an experience.

Federico Passero

This film is a drumbeat. A pulse. A remembering. The spirits are present. You don’t just watch it; it moves through you. Altantsetseg’s trance is a door we are invited to stand at—but whether we step through is up to us. Deeply powerful, humbling, and a reminder that wisdom does not come from books, but from those who have lived it.

Marta Torres Garcia

A woman wears a mask, but through it, she sees clearer than those without one. A drum beats, and the world shifts. A voice speaks, but is it hers? Or something older? Something deeper? The film doesn’t answer. It just asks.

Alessandro Soldi

I went in expecting a documentary. I left feeling like I had witnessed something I wasn’t supposed to see—something sacred, something alive. The way the film moves, breathes, and refuses to ‘explain’ itself makes it all the more hypnotic. I don’t know if I fully understood everything, but I felt it. And isn’t that the point?

Aiden Caron

To see with the heart. To hear with the heart. To feel with the heart. This film is not about watching—it’s about remembering. It reminds us of what we’ve lost and what still calls us home.

Avery Tremblay

A film that breathes. A film that listens. A film that doesn’t beg you to understand—but dares you to feel.

Ava Patel

Hands shaking. Heart racing. I didn’t expect to cry, but I did. Not sadness. Something deeper. Recognition? The sound of the drum. The way Altantsetseg’s eyes shift when the trance begins. The silence before something else speaks. I can’t explain this movie. I just know I’ll never forget it.

Jennifer Wang

A bold, uncompromising vision from first-time filmmaker Frances Ulman. The decision to follow a no-script, no-second-takes approach results in a documentary that feels less like a film and more like a raw transmission of reality. While this may alienate viewers seeking a traditional narrative, it is precisely what makes The Shaman and Dropout Psychologist so compelling. A haunting, unfiltered look at shamanism, decolonization, and spiritual mentorship.

Emily Turner