Heavenly Nomadic

There are still places in this world where people live in harmony with nature and its mythology. A family of nomads dwelling high in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan doesn't need any of the conveniences of modern civilization in order to be happy. In the eyes of seven-year-old Umsunai, legends meld with reality and help her overcome her grief over her deceased father. When her uncle returns from the city, she enthusiastically devours his stories of urban life. Yet, in her grandparents' minds, the very same stories stir up dismal fears about their son's detachment. Umsunai's mother is also reluctant to leave their modest rural home behind, even if it means foregoing the chance of a new relationship. For the elderly herdsman and his wife, the heavy machinery that suddenly appears on the meadows where their horses graze represents an omen of painful change. It's as if a part of their own souls disappears with every destroyed piece of the landscape. (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)