The Story Of The Weeping Camel review

An ethnographical documentary about a family of Mongolian camel-herders, The Story of the Weeping Camel is about as far removed from the usual crop of Hollywood fare as it is possible to get. This quiet, unassuming film is intensely charming and chronicles a fascinating way of life that has rarely been captured on the cinema screen.

Co-director Byambasuren Davaa fulfils a lifetime's ambition by going back to her native Mongolia and filming the details of the birthing season upon the four generations of camel-herders that live in some isolation, 50 kilometres from the nearest town. These are hardy, cheery people who live a simple life of self-sustenance without any of the trappings of modern society.

Problems arise when of the colts - a beautiful rare white camel - is born and the mother instantly rejects her child, refusing to feed or even be anywhere near it. The family tries all of the tricks it knows to cajole the reluctant mother, but their efforts fall on stony ground. Only as a last resort they send the two young boys of the family to the nearest town to obtain the services of a violin player - legend has it that upon hearing his music the reluctant camel will acquiesce, and finally suckle its newborn.

It's still hard for any film-maker to make such a documentary without having reference made to classics of the genre such as Flaherty's Nanook of the North, which set the benchmark for filming the natural world, or even Bunuel's Terra Sin Pan which showed how the human spirit always triumphs over adversity. Here the film-makers obligingly ignore the temptation to introduce any connivance into the structure of their narrative, and instead simply observe the happenings around them.

However, there is plenty here to fascinate those with an appetite to learn how at least some of the rest of the world lives. The details of the family's life as nomads, with near constant preparations for storms, the infiltration of the West in the clothes that the children wear, and the desire of the youngest child to get a satellite television for their tent indicate that this is a genuine way of life that may not be around for much longer.

The film is often silent for long periods, and does have lingering shots of the camels and the beautiful surroundings they find themselves in. As a result, it has a calming and genuine effect on the viewer - the sight of the camel being serenaded by a visiting violinist is hugely memorable. It's a small film that deserves to be seen the world over.