A nomadic family in Mongolia's Gobi desert faces a problem when a white camel colt is born in a difficult delivery and the mother rejects it. Repeated efforts by the extended family to get the mother to nurse the colt fail. The colt stands alone and cries for its mother. The family worries that the colt will not survive. Finally, Dude (Enkhbulgan Ikhbayar), the older boy, is sent to a nearby town to find a musician who can perform a "Hoos" ceremony. Little Ugna (Uuganbaatar Ikhbayar) begs to go
along. The two boys travel for miles across the desert, stopping at a neighbor's yert, where Ugna is delighted by his first encounter with television. They travel on to the village, and then return home with word that a musician is on the way. A musical ceremony is performed in an effort to get the mother camel to accept her colt. The Story of the Weeping Camel is a blend of documentary footage and narrative. Filmmakers Luigi Falorni and Byambasuren Davaa cast a real nomad family of herders and shot many of the events in the film as they occurred. The Story of the Weeping Camel was selected by the Film Society of Lincoln Center and the Museum of Modern Art for inclusion in the 2004 edition of New Directors/New Films. It also won the 2003 European Film Award for Best Documentary. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi
As unique as the title animal: unrushed as a donkey, shaggy as a llama, sturdy as a horse — and, it turns out, with a sensitive soft spot for music. Who'd'a thunk?
interesting documentary about a nomadic family of camel herders in Mongolia. And it's all about them -- no narration, no talking head "experts". Just a camera following these people around as they share meals, socialize and work. The title refers to a particiular camel who gives birth and then refuses to care for her
colt. The colt's health begins to suffer, and the family takes an unusual step - bringing in a violinist to play while one of the women perform a kind of ritual with the camel in order to bring back the camel's maternal instinct. The piece the violinist plays is beautiful, and is just one of several similarly wonderful music interludes. A scene of a young mother singing what seems to be a lullaby to her toddler is magical and moving. A fascinating journey into unfamiliar territory.
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