By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Wang Quanan
Starring: Ba'toer | Bao'lier | Nan Yu | Sen'ge
Original language title: Tuya de hun shi
Country: china
Year: 2008
Running time: 86
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0949564/
Bruce says: “Before TUYA’S MARRIAGE there were other recent films about Mongolian peasants, THE STORY OF THE WEEPING CAMEL and MONGOLIAN PING PONG. The landscape of the Mongolian steppes, harsh and stark, is surprisingly photogenic and the native attire is brilliantly colored, presenting dazzling photo ops for the cinematographer. I’ve seen films from many other countries with the torments of poverty as the central theme. A singular aspect of the Mongolian films is the condescending view the filmmakers have of their subjects. Invariably, the struggling people of the Asian steppes appear stupid or, at best, foolishly backward.
“At first glance Tuya (Nan Yu) appears quite ordinary but as the film progresses one becomes aware of her uncommon beauty. Tuya is a sheep farmer raising three children and tending to a disabled husband, Bater. She tends the flock, travels long distances several times a day for water, and manages the household. She is rapidly exhausting herself. No wonder that when we first see her at home she falls asleep holding a teacup as she has her evening tea. Tuya still has time to rescue her friend Baolier who has gotten drunk and knocked himself unconscious in a motorcycle accident. Baolier drinks because his wife keeps running off with other men. Or is it that his wife runs off with other men because of his drinking?
“To solve the labor shortage problem, Tuya decides to divorce her husband and marry someone who can share her workload. There are strings attached, however; Tuya insists that her new husband must allow Bater to live with the family. Suitors appear from thin air. Everyone who has ever known Tuya wants to marry her, or so it seems. To complicate matters Baolier wants to divorce his wife and marry Tuya. To prove his good intentions he attempts to drill a well on her property to help save time in getting water. An old school classmate who has made millions in the oil business suddenly is the frontrunner. He takes Tuya to a large town where they stay in a fancy hotel. The unctuous millionaire wants to put Bater in a nursing home. Tuya is torn by her choices, none of which is ideal.
“Nan Yu is radiant; she has an incredible screen presence and it is likely that she will become a big international film star. The other actors in the film are all non-professionals. It is cinematographer Lutz Reitemeier whose signature is stamped most clearly on this film. TUYA’S MARRIAGE won the Golden Bear at the 2007 Berlin Film Festival; that award will likely assure its distribution. 3.5 cats
“TUYA’S MARRIAGE was screened at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival”