The Story of the Weeping Camel

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The Story of the Weeping Camel
Directed by Byambasuren Davaa
Luigi Falorni
Produced by Tobias Siebert
Written by Byambasuren Davaa
Luigi Falorni
Starring Janchiv Ayurzana
Chimed Ohin
Music by Marcel Leniz
Marc Riedinger
Choigiw Sangidorj
Cinematography Falorni
Editing by Anja Pohl
Distributed by ThinkFilm (USA)
Release date(s) 6 September, 2003 (Toronto Film Festival)
Running time 87 min.
Country Germany / Mongolia
Language Mongolian
IMDb profile

The Story of the Weeping Camel is a 2003 Mongolian documentary distributed by ThinkFilm. It was released internationally in 2004. The movie was directed and written by Byambasuren Davaa and Luigi Falorni. The plot is about a family of nomadic shepherds in the Gobi desert trying to save the life of a rare white bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) calf after it was rejected by its mother. The documentary was nominated for an Oscar in the category Best Documentary at the 77th Academy Awards.

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[edit] Plot

During a spring season, a family of nomadic shepherds assists the births of their camel herd. One of the camels has an excruciatingly difficult delivery but, with help from the family, out comes a rare white calf. Despite the efforts of the shepherds, the mother rejects the newborn, refusing it her milk and failing to bond with it. To prevent the calf's death, the nomads send their two young boys on a journey through the desert to find a musician. A violinist (Morin Khuur musician) is summoned to the camp and a ritual of folk music and chanting is performed. The archaic sound of the horse-head violin along with the melodic singing of one of the women appears to elicit a bond between mother and calf: when her young is brought to her again, she finally allows it the milk it needs to survive.

The movie blends drama, nature documentary, and ethnographic theme in a single film. Both the directors drew upon the documentary style of Robert Flaherty (Nanook of the North), who recreated events to comprehensively portray his subjects. The pair filmed spontaneous events for much of the mother-baby story, but chose to recreate certain moments in the family's daily life. The shots of a desert storm in the majestic landscape make it clear just how difficult circumstances were for working. A humorous 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. The film attempts to speak to the nature of love--the baby camel cannot survive without his mother, just as no person can.

[edit] Cast

  • Janchiv Ayurzana
  • Chimed Ohin
  • Amgaabazar Gonson
  • Zeveljamz Nyam
  • Ikhbayar Amgaabazar
  • Odgerel Ayusch
  • Enkhbulgan Ikhbayar
  • Uuganbaatar Ikhbayar
  • Guntbaatar Ikhbayar

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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