Monday, August 23, 2010

Simple Life

The Cave of the Yellow Dog (2005) - Davaa
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Young Nansal comes home to the Steppes of Western Mongolia for Summer break from school in the city. No more than 7 years old, she helps household chores and takes care of two younger siblings in tough, normadic life.

Nansal learns about reincarnation and responsibilities along the way. Their way of life hasn't changed for hundreds of years but there are some hints of modern civilization - they own a motorcycle, and father brings home a green plastic bucket to the appreciative mother who in turn asks, "Oh, beautiful colors, is it heat resistant?"

It also showcases mobile Mongolian adobe - Ger, as Batchuluuns dismantle and move to another area for grazing. And it's specious inside, practical and ingenious in design.

Byambasuren Davaa (Story of a Weeping Camel), a mongolian born, German filmmaker spent a Summer with Nansal and her normadic family and made this quietly observed, lovely docudrama about a stray dog that came into their lives. Makes you question if our lives were way too complicated.

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