Review by Billy Newbery
Breathtaking landscapes, the unbelievable spectacle of horseback theatre, the majesty of the everyday. These are the images that fill To Kill a Mongolian Horse (directed by Xiaoxuan Jiang), a wall-to-wall fest for the eyes wrapped around a small story of a father and son. Who must give up their life of sheep herding and horseback riding as the world moves on from the past that their way of life represents to a life more aligned with a modern society.
The film invites us to intimately watch this painful, brittle transition. In which our characters attempt to remain stoic, giving us the source of the film’s style.
Striking locked-off frames, the powerful use of ambient sound, and simple blocking, paired with minimal dialogue, all come together to create an observational stylistic approach. Allowing our characters to keep their frontier strength in the face of a silent tragedy that steals their very identity.
To Kill a Mongolian Horse
Sydney Film Festival