Yu is an experienced and most talented actress. But the real surprise here is how well the non-pros -- Bater, a Mongolian herdsman, and Sen'ge, an equestrian -- perform.

| Sep 23, 2020

Funny, tender, and vividly shot, this delightful comedy is far more satisfying as story and cinema than other features recently shot in Mongolia.

| Sep 23, 2020

Beneath its sparse exterior lies an achingly romantic tale of longing, devotion, and the lengths that people are willing to go to for love.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Jul 6, 2019

Now that the dust is settling from the Bejiing Olympics, here's a chance to [experience] a very different kind of Chinese spectacle.

| Dec 16, 2017

It's beautiful and ordinary, strange and utterly familiar all at the same time -- a wonderful film.

| Aug 22, 2017

The arid landscape, seen with a patriotic affection, is a stirring sight. More wonderful, though, is the story: unusual, understated, and sincere.

| Aug 21, 2017

The weight of the performances from Yu Nan and Bater is enough to make for a satisfying, if uneven, film.

| Nov 24, 2011

A refusal to pass judgment and a palpable chemistry between the actors ensure that the film succeeds both as a fable about the pitfalls of rapid modernisiation, and as tough, unsentimental drama.

| Nov 17, 2011

An authentic Mongolian romantic comedy, perhaps the first.

| Aug 15, 2011

Nan Yu's work as the titular character and Sen'ge's performance as her nemesis/potential partner carry the film through some of the narrative rough patches

| Original Score: 70/100 | Feb 2, 2009

Inspired to capture the ebbing traditions of his mother's Mongolian heritage, director pays touching tribute to a strong woman who finally has no choice but to cry.

| Original Score: 7/10 | Dec 14, 2008

This 2006 drama is refreshing not only for its gentle comic touches but for director Wang Quanan's refusal to sentimentalize China's vanishing nomadic culture: life is harsh and no one's a saint, including his outspoken heroine.

| Dec 9, 2008

A hugely entertaining movie -- surprisingly contemporary, always incisive and often very funny. And heartbreaking.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Oct 18, 2008

Made with a scrupulous attention to the slow-moving realities of grasslands life but lacking in dramatic heft.

| Oct 18, 2008

| Original Score: A- | Oct 18, 2008

A lovely and sad film.

| Oct 18, 2008

| Original Score: B+ | Oct 18, 2008

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Oct 18, 2008

The film works on a very human level ... because Wang neither romanticizes the Mongolian peasants nor overemphasizes the difficulties they face.

| Original Score: 7/10 | Sep 19, 2008

[Yu Nan] owns the role of Tuya, delivering a wide-ranging performance that might be called 'star-making' if she didn't already suggest the confidence of an established star.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Aug 29, 2008