The Story of the Weeping Camel: Life as it comes!

The Story of the Weeping Camel is a heart-warming docu-drama about a nomadic tribe in Mongolia and their association with and attachment to their domesticated animals, especially camels. Though the story narrates the plight of a new-born camel that is rejected by the mother, the free, happy un-baggaged life of the nomads comes alive in the process.

 Dirctor: Byambasuren Davaa

 Dirctor: Luigi Falorni

Film Clip

What we come to know from the film is that this tribe lives life as it comes to it. They are happy with whatever they have and earn. They are not unduly concerned about amassing possessions for posterity. They travel with their animals from place to place in search of greener pastures and find life along the way.

Not that everything is hunky dory for the wandering tribe. They have their lows as well. Animals and their protection is their biggest concern. Here in the film, the calf is rejected by the mother as it had to suffer a great deal while giving birth. The tradition has it that the mother camel needs to be cajoled and nursed with singing and music to the accompaniment of a traditional violin into accepting the young one. The family in the film brings a musician from the town and then there is this moving scene of the mother coming to terms and shedding tears. The union of the mother and the calf is the ultimate climax that moves the audience as well. 

For an outsider the life of a nomadic might look primitive and short of all the novelty and excitement of the modern buzz; but none can dispute the excitement that they find in their daily joys of life, something that the stressed world would do well to cultivate.

The film is directed by Byambasuren Davaa and Luigi Falorni.

- Melwyn Pinto SJ

The world before her: The fanatic and the modern of it!

It is rarely that a documentary gets widespread theatrical release in India. But, The world before her is that rare exception. The film, made in 2012, was released in India this year and rightly received critical acclaim. And why not? The film is a dispassionate account of two worlds existing in India. No, they are not India and Bharat. Neither are they rural and urban. They are the worlds of the fanatic and the modern. These two worlds are presented through the profiling of basically two women.

 Director: Nisha Pahuja

Film Clip

Prachi Trivedi represents the fanatic. She is an animator at Durga Vahini, the women’s wing of Vishwa Hindu Parishat, actively involved in poisoning the minds of young girls. Ruhi Singh represents the modern. She is contesting the Miss India contest. It is interesting and hilarious at the same time how these two women and their ambitions are juxtaposed. For example, the final contest of Miss India event with all its glamour, make-up and glitter is montaged with girls at the Durga Vahini camp getting ready for the passing out ceremony and thereby getting ready to ‘defend the country’, ‘defend Hinduism’, even if it means to ‘kill somebody’.

The credit goes to the film maker (Nisha Pahuja) for not making any value judgements. She is happy just presenting the images creatively before the audience who can gage for themselves the hidden meanings behind these images. While Durga Vahini has given Prachi certain amount of power and authority (she is happy that girls in the camp are scared of her), the upbringing and the exposure to the modern world has helped Ruhi become ‘somebody’ in life, even if she does not make the final cut in the Miss India contest.

The documentary is indeed a credible venture allowing the audience to get a glimpse of these two worlds existing simultaneously. Not to forget, the smooth flow and excellent editing, coupled with soothing background score and non-interfering camera work have made the film both entertaining and educative.

- Melwyn Pinto SJ