Aisholpan Nurgaiv Daisy Ridley
There are so many reasons to see this
fascinating documentary about a Mongolian girl. First is the cultural lesson about eagle hunters who capture
an eagle—preferably an eaglet in a nest—develop a nurturing relationship with
it, and train it to catch food in the winter. Another reason to see it is the remarkable story of a girl
of 13 who decides she wants to be an eagle hunter like her father and his ancestors
before him. She has worked side by
side with him from the time she was very small, and she came to the conclusion
herself that she would learn to do what he does first, then eventually become a
doctor. Finally, the father is a
model for parenting. It’s as if he
were an experienced behavioral psychologist.
I could keep going on about, for instance, the
eagle hunting festival/contest and Aisholpan’s and her father’s trek with
horses over stones, cliffs, and through four-foot snow drifts in -40ยบ F weather
[e.g., there is a “catcher” who chases the fox on his horse, then the hunter
(eagle) who captures the prey]. But I don’t want to give too much away; the joy
in watching this film is in the discoveries made in a journey.
Aisholpan is a spunky girl who loves to compete
at school (makes A’s) and win at chess, wrestling with boys, etc. She lives in a dormitory because there
is no school near where she lives, and she only goes home on weekends. She takes care of her brother and
sister who also live in the dormitory.
Still, with all this, she has a sunny personality, smiles frequently,
and has a zest for life. She
states emphatically that “girls can do anything boys can do if they try.” Even though she’s committed to the very
masculine pursuit of eagle hunting, she still shops at a festival for a bow to
put in her hair. Her parents have been fine role models for her, and many
Americans will envy their loving, cheerful, cooperative home life where
everyone at least appears to be happy
and fulfilled.[1]
In some ways, the family’s life is hard. They have few possessions because they
must move back and forth between a tent-like gir in the summer and a house in the winter. They’re far from even a village. Still, they have plenty to eat, and are
able to secure the relatively fancy clothes required to compete in the annual
eagle hunting festival. When I see
how close to nature they are (regarding it as a mother) and contrast it with
our frenzy for post-Thanksgiving shopping and stuffed-full houses, obsession
with electronics, and social-political conflicts, I have to sigh. And wonder…
First-time director Otto Bell focuses on the
father-daughter relationship while acquainting the viewer with the art (and it
is considered an art) of eagle hunting.
To enhance the presentation, Jeff Peters’ music is a fine blend of
eastern/western sounds, and Simon Niblett’s cinematography captures the
eagle/human chase and hunt for a fox, the intimate scenes inside the gir, and
the sweeping landscape of snow in equal measure. It does seem like we’ve traveled to Mongolia and
participated in a cultural experience we’ll never forget. Daisy Ridley (Star Wars: The Force
Awakens) is a fine narrator, but the real stars are Aisholpan and her
father talking on camera as if there were no camera. They are natural, freely sharing their thoughts and
feelings, and exemplifying an ideal parent-child relationship.
This is a must-see for
girls, boys, families and anyone interested in cultural exchanges.
Grade: A By Donna R. Copeland
Grade: A By Donna R. Copeland
[1] Such a
contrast with the film I saw earlier today—Nocturnal
Animals—where no one is happy or fulfilled, although I think it’s a fine
movie.
No comments:
Post a Comment