In the desert-like region of Inner Mongolia, Tuya (Yu
Nan) is a strong and
beautiful shepherd responsible for two children and a loving but disabled husband,
Bater. As the matriarch, Tuya tends to 100 sheep on a camel, cooks for the
family, and fetches water from a well 30 kilometers from their traditional
hut. As tough as her daily routines are, she refuses to leave the region, despite
the government’s pressure to displace its inhabitants for industrial development.
When an injury makes it difficult for Tuya to continue performing hard labor,
Bater convinces her to divorce him in order to re-marry someone who could provide
for her. Tuya agrees, but she presents her potential suitors with one condition:
that her new spouse will not only have to take care of Tuya and her children,
but also Bater. That is to say, she will only marry the man willing to accept
her living in a state of polyandry. Winner of the Golden Bear, the top prize
at the Berlin Film Festival, this warm and beautifully filmed tale vividly
captures a lifestyle and traditions that are rapidly disappearing. In Mandarin
with English subtitles. Writers: Wang Quan An, Lu Wei.
Director: Wang Quan An. (China 2007) 96 min.
In the desert-like region of Inner Mongolia, Tuya (Yu
Nan) is a strong and
beautiful shepherd responsible for two children and a loving but disabled husband,
Bater. As the matriarch, Tuya tends to 100 sheep on a camel, cooks for the
family, and fetches water from a well 30 kilometers from their traditional
hut. As tough as her daily routines are, she refuses to leave the region, despite
the government’s pressure to displace its inhabitants for industrial development.
When an injury makes it difficult for Tuya to continue performing hard labor,
Bater convinces her to divorce him in order to re-marry someone who could provide
for her. Tuya agrees, but she presents her potential suitors with one condition:
that her new spouse will not only have to take care of Tuya and her children,
but also Bater. That is to say, she will only marry the man willing to accept
her living in a state of polyandry. Winner of the Golden Bear, the top prize
at the Berlin Film Festival, this warm and beautifully filmed tale vividly
captures a lifestyle and traditions that are rapidly disappearing. In Mandarin
with English subtitles. Writers: Wang Quan An, Lu Wei.
Director: Wang Quan An. (China 2007) 96 min. 