DVD Review - The Cave of the Yellow Dog

This beautiful film is directed by Byambasuren Davaa, who was also one of the directors of the wonderful The Story of the Weeping Camel.

The film follows The Batchuluun family, who happen to be nomads (they are a real family). One day the eldest daughter Nansal finds a lovely dog. The dog becomes her best friend but her parents (especially her father) do not want her to keep the dog. This dog is not yellow. However, at some point in the film we find out the significance of the yellow dog.

The film is visually stunning as it shows us a part of the world, Mongolia, that most of us have never been to. Yellow Dog shows us a way of life that is on its way out. There are not many nomads left. And although most people would never consider this type of life, who is to say our modern lifestyle is better? These people respect the earth more than most people do. And they are also very spiritual. They believe that we must take care of the earth because we will be revisiting (reincarnating) her many times and she has to be preserved.

The DVD includes an interesting interview with the director. Despite getting very good reviews this film barely played in the theaters when it was released a few months ago. I highly recommend The Cave of the Yellow Dog to anyone who wants to see something that is simple and extraordinary at the same time.