Review of The Eagle Huntress (2016) by Christopher H — 21 Apr 2017

On the subject of a daughter-father film ....I saw this documentary just days after the U.S. election. It tells such a powerful story of a 13 year old girl in Mongolia whose father supports her desire to become something that only males aspire to do: bond with a wild baby eagle in the sport/culture of hunting together on horseback for a period of 7 years. After that time, the eagle is set free again. It is never made to be 'a pet', but rather a type of companion with the human in chasing rabbits & foxes in the wild throughout the year for the consumption of the meat to feed the entire nomadic family as well as sell the pelts or trade them for necessities.

The use of various small digital cameras with high-tech capabilities made for a tremendously beautiful film. Drone footage over the countryside of Mongolia is magnificent as well as some Go-Pro footage directly from the body of an eagle swooping over the terrain. Neither was overused but merely added to the overall texture of the story unfolding over a long period of time. And I cannot think of another father-daughter film that really warmed me like this one did. 'The Eagle Huntress' really packs a good dose of feminist punch for anyone who feels the need to see more positive female energy in film - or in life in general.