Review of Tulpan (2009) by Ld P — 04 Nov 2009

Tulpan (2008) Winner of the Un Certain Regard award this year at the Cannes Film Festival, the fast disappearing world of nomadic sheep herders in Kazakhstan is dramatized in the part fictional, part documentary film Tulpan.

This film almost presents us the slow decline of the nomadic sheepherding lifestyle on the steppes of Central Asia. Tulpan is the story of an ex-sailor seeking to marry the only available woman in the area to fulfill his dream of tending his own flock.

The narrative, however, is secondary to the dramatic on-camera birth of a lamb and the spectacular scenery of the steppes. Much of the film takes place in the tent house called a yurt that is shared by Asa (Askhat Kuchinchirekov), his brother-in-law Ondas (Ondasyn Besikbasov), his older sister Samal (Samal Yeslyamova), and three children.

Its flat, dusty, dry plains are reminiscent of parts of outback Australia but are even more remote. The movie was shot 500 km from the nearest city Chimkent. It is harsh and unforgiving with powerful dust storms dominating the environment.

Most of the interior scenes take place in traditional tent houses called jurtes. The family is close in every sense of the word. Asa's sister Samal (Samal Esljamova) and Ondas (Ondas Besikbasov) and their three children share their home with him.

Some of the most touching scenes involve singing within the intimacy of the family group. The tiny domestic space is not the only cause of tension. Ondas is particularly tough on his brother-in-law Asa, perhaps because of the incredibly strong bonds between brother and sister.

is part ethnographic travelogue, part family drama and coming-of-age story, part goofy romance. Dvortsevoy is using his appealing nonprofessional cast, and the possibility of a successful romantic conclusion, to package an extraordinarily photographed handheld docudrama about a way of life that is none too slowly vanishing.

Tulpan herself is a chimera, much talked about but never seen. The director has applied his gifts for authenticity and naturalism to create a tender, unforgettable comedy about a vanishing way of life.

This is a fascinating film. One of the many joys of cinema is its ability to offer audiences a glimpse into a culture that they otherwise may never experience firsthand. Be sure and read the village voice review.

5 stars highly recommended.