The Story of the Weeping Camel
The Story of the Weeping Camel
Effortlessly blending drama, nature documentary, and ethnographic film, THE STORY OF THE WEEPING CAMEL casts a spell with its story about a nomadic Mongolian family who reunite a rejected baby camel with its mother. When a mother camel refuses to sustain her child, the keepers of the camels often reunite them in a ritual with folk music and chanting; the ceremony elicits deep emotion from all involved, including the animal: the mother camel sometimes weeps real tears. Exploring more than just traditional ritual, this film speaks to the very nature of love; the baby camel cannot survive without its mother, just as no living creature can. Directors Byambasuren Davaa and Luigi Falorni drew upon the documentary style of Robert Flaherty (NANOOK OF THE NORTH), who recreated events to comprehensively portray his subjects. The pair tirelessly filmed spontaneous events for much of the mother-baby story, but chose to recreate certain moments in the family's daily life. A particularly humorous and insightful example involves a young boy who clearly feels conflicted between his family life and his desire for a more Western life. The film creates a contrast between the two, showing the boy listening to traditional fables in his family's tent, but then dreaming about owning a television. This spare film provides a visually enchanting and unique learning experience. The reviews have been glowing: "The vivid fictional specifics, and the simple loveliness of the artless performances by non-actor Mongolian nomads, attest to the filmmakers' abundant artistry." (Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly.) "Beyond its rare visions of remote vistas, CAMEL's great charm lies in its seeming simplicity." (Leslie Camhi, the Village Voice.) What's more, it's a family film like WHALE RIDER; and like that film, THE STORY OF THE WEEPING CAMEL offers a rare, privileged glimpse into a wonderfully foreign culture.
Runtime
90
Language
English
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