Come take a leisurely stroll over the scenic
Chinese countryside in the greatest of comfort—unlike that for the filming crew
which lugged their equipment, trudging up and down mountains in all kinds of
weather to allow us this indulgence.
Disneynature’s Born in China,
expertly directed by Chuan Lu and grandly photographed by six artists (Irmin
Kerck, Justin Maguire, Shane Moore, Rolf Steinman, and Paul Stewart), is
narrated by John Krasinski. The
story by a group of writers (David Fowler, Brian Leith, Phil Chapman and Lu) is
fascinating in its portrayal of family life—mostly between mothers and
newborns—among monkeys, pandas, and snow leopards, with references made to
cranes, antelopes, hawks, and yaks.
The endearing parts track the birth of a baby
through its first year in three families, showing the instinctive quality of
the mother-child bond and the struggles to survive and protect the young in the
wild. Mother Panda Ya Ya focuses
all her attention on daughter Mei Mei while she feeds on bamboo (40 lbs/day!)
and nurses her infant with breast milk.
After about six months, we see Mei Mei start the separation process by
attempting to climb trees, initially rolling all the way down the hill after
which her mother scoops her up and takes her home. When Mei Mei is able to climb the tree high up without
falling, the two will separate.
Mother Dawa, an agile and quick snow leopard,
lives at 14,000 feet above sea level on the rocky mountains, having her two
cubs in a cave, where they will remain until they’re old enough to attempt
navigating the rocks and cliffs.
Dawa has to defend her territory from predators and then be one herself
to get food. She may be challenged
by a neighboring leopard whose food supply has become scarce in her own territory
and will try to take over Dawa’s.
The third story focuses on Tau Tau, a monkey
who was the center of attention in his family—which consists of multiple doting
mothers—until his sister is born.
He feels he has to resort to joining a tribe of “lost boys” who hang out
together with their leader Rooster and get into all sorts of mischief—or just
playing the game of jumping on branches and falling to the ground. The drama here is Tau Tau’s evolving
relationship with his family, an acceptance/rejection tale that most closely
resembles that of a human family.
Filmmakers should be congratulated for
incorporating educational material into the script (e.g., Chinese myths
associated with cranes and pandas), frankly portraying life and death and
linking both to the Circle of Life, and showing the values in appreciating and
becoming knowledgeable about the natural world, which includes the humorous
aspects of it. Compared to other
films, this one is relatively short at 75 minutes, which is exactly right for
the kind of film it is. It is
idyllic, in a way. When I saw the
crystal clear waters, clean air, and fertile earth, I was reminded of the
compromises we humans have made in an industrial age.
Revel in the refreshing, natural world
of Born in China for relief from
contemporary cares and concerns.
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