THE STORY OF THE WEEPING CAMEL
Directed by: Luigi Falorni & Byambasuren Davaa.
Produced by: Tobias N. Siebert.
Written by: Luigi Falorni & Byambasuren Davaa, based on an idea by Davaa and Batbayar Davgadorj.
Director of Photography: Luigi Falorni.
Edited by: Anja Pohl.
Released by: THINKFilm.
Language: Mongolian.
Country of Origin: Germany/Mongolia. 93 min. Rated: PG.

Never has the camel - an animal so distant to our urban life - softened hearts as it does in this semi-documentary. Set in an arid, gusty habitat of the vast Gobi Desert of South Mongolia, it centers around a shepherd family and their struggles as one mother camel, after a difficult delivery, refuses to nurture its newborn. Determined to draw out the maternal instinct of the mother camel, the family sends their two young sons to a distant village for a violinist - the only one who can perform the ancient ritual that may reunite the mother and child. The film’s title comes from the young camel’s soft-hued cry for his mother.

This slow-paced, solemn story is not a potential blockbuster, but those who have seen Himalaya: l’enfance d’un chef (1999) know that rural life in central Asia has an unforgettable exotic charm. This four-generational family exemplifies the importance of unity, discipline, compassion, and respect. Each member, from baby to great-grandmother, has a distinct role in the house, and although life in the desert is arduous, the family survives with perfect cooperation. (The cast is comprised of real-life herders). Great-grandfather starts the film by telling a tale of why camels constantly gaze at the horizon, showing how clearly the family lives in harmony with the modest, peaceful camel. The rest of the film is executed through little narration or dialogue, underlining the film’s breathtaking cinematography. In a Discovery Channel sort of way, directors Byambasuren Davaa and Luigi Falorni successfully present a unique and heartwarming portrait pleasantly rewarding to the dry souls of us urbanites today. Hazuki Aikawa, journalist, director of the documentary Yancha
June 4, 2004