by Jennifer Drewett
It is quite easy to make the sweeping generalised assumption that the films shown in cinemas across the UK is quite homogenous in that it is overwhelmingly Western content. It’s not very often that one will come across a film created from somewhere that isn’t an American or British studio with English-speaking stars. Anything else tends to be relatively marginalised with a few exceptions including a Western-version of the epic Chinese film Red Cliff, the French classic Amelie and the Italian La Dolce Vita.
It’s a rather unfortunate state of affairs: without being exposed to other cultures through film one can’t hope to learn more about said culture. It certainly doesn’t help matters when some people’s main reason for not watching foreign films tend to be a distaste for subtitles. Despite this, the Asia Film Festival took place this past weekend as a big celebration of films from all across Asia. One of the films it showed was Yellow Colt.
It is quite easy to make the sweeping generalised assumption that the films shown in cinemas across the UK is quite homogenous in that it is overwhelmingly Western content. It’s not very often that one will come across a film created from somewhere that isn’t an American or British studio with English-speaking stars. Anything else tends to be relatively marginalised with a few exceptions including a Western-version of the epic Chinese film Red Cliff, the French classic Amelie and the Italian La Dolce Vita.
It’s a rather unfortunate state of affairs: without being exposed to other cultures through film one can’t hope to learn more about said culture. It certainly doesn’t help matters when some people’s main reason for not watching foreign films tend to be a distaste for subtitles. Despite this, the Asia Film Festival took place this past weekend as a big celebration of films from all across Asia. One of the films it showed was Yellow Colt.
Yellow Colt follows Galt who is the youngest son of Badam, a nomadic family who raise horses in the plains of Mongolia. Galt was adopted by his uncle until his uncle died where he was returned to his parents. He’s very depressed until he comes across a runaway yellow colt horse. He develops a genuine bond with the horse whilst others try to get in the way.
It’s hard to imagine that such a simple yet very wonderfully put-together film was made with a budget of $150,000 considering how most Western films, even independant ones, would cost over a million pounds (except some projects like The Rogue Table). Whilst the surroundings are quite bare and simplistic in Yellow Colt it is very effective and very true to the life of working Mongolian horse labourers. Who needs flash CGI effects or designer clothes to create an effective story? No filmmaker worth their salt would need that although there certainly isn’t anything wrong with wanting it. This film shows, among other things, how effective one can make a film without anything expensive to rely on.
It’s hard to imagine that such a simple yet very wonderfully put-together film was made with a budget of $150,000 considering how most Western films, even independant ones, would cost over a million pounds (except some projects like The Rogue Table). Whilst the surroundings are quite bare and simplistic in Yellow Colt it is very effective and very true to the life of working Mongolian horse labourers. Who needs flash CGI effects or designer clothes to create an effective story? No filmmaker worth their salt would need that although there certainly isn’t anything wrong with wanting it. This film shows, among other things, how effective one can make a film without anything expensive to rely on.
The story is rather engaging throughout; whether you’re interested in Galt’s relationship with his beloved yellow colt, the antagonists who try to buy the colt for their own gains or are fascinated with an aspect of Mongolian culture. One can empathise with the plight of the characters who are born to poverty, must work tirelessly to put food on the table and live in a world a million miles away from the technologically enhanced one us Westerners live in. The story is very nicely written with plenty of showing as opposed to telling which is enhanced with good cinematography and
If watching Yellow Colt has shown anything, besides the ability to make a good film without a major budget, it’s that good films exist universally around the world regardless of which culture it comes from. Maybe the Western audience should look outside the box and seek out non-Westernised films.
Asia House will be screening Mongolian Treasures on the 19th of April.
If watching Yellow Colt has shown anything, besides the ability to make a good film without a major budget, it’s that good films exist universally around the world regardless of which culture it comes from. Maybe the Western audience should look outside the box and seek out non-Westernised films.
Asia House will be screening Mongolian Treasures on the 19th of April.
RSS Feed
