In all, the men of the Nurgaiv clan have been hunting with eagles for 12 generations. Eagle hunting is a sacred tradition in Mongolia, handed down from father to son for centuries. Thus, the men Dennis Keen cites as objecting are only a subset of prominent eagle hunters, and the very men who blessed Makpal's engagement were elders integrally important to the resurrection of the eagle hunting tradition in Kazakhstan during post-Soviet rule. Eagle huntress at Nura Eagle Festival, Kazakhstan, 2013 (Ruta Production/Shutterstock), FIG 2.4. On Sunday March 12, Melbourne's Cinema Nova and Cameo Belgrave will host preview screenings with wedge-tailed eagle demonstrations. He tracked Aisholpan's family down (being nomads, they move around) and on the very first day, he says, filmed one of the early scenes in the film, where the girl and her father seize a baby eaglet from its nest. 2023 NONETWORK, LLC. Its a documentarians dream: incredibly charismatic protagonists, majestic landscapes, underlying social issues, and a classic David and Goliath tale. Narrated by "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" breakout star Daisy Ridley, "The Eagle Huntress" relays just enough information to keep track of how an eaglet is caught (at the age of 3 months,. 2010. New York Times, Women in the World, Oct. 16. http://nytlive.nytimes.com/womenintheworld/2015/10/16/ashol-pan-eagle-hunter/, Torrelio, Sebastian. He would basically point to where we should set up. The ancient practice of eagle hunting is carried on today by a few hundred nomadic Kazakhs in Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Xinjiang (northwest China). It's "engineered storytelling" he says. The pair of them have done a fantastic job. She was 60. Join the conversation - find us on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter. 1997. It was called one of the most significant finds Shambhala, which is a Sanskrit word meaning place of peace or place of silence, is a mythical paradise spoken of in ancient texts, including the Kalachakra Tantra and the ancient scriptures of the Zhang Zhung culture which predated Tibetan Buddhism in western Tibet. AtAncient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. The Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi is a monument in Turkestan, a city in southern Kazakhstan. I really enjoyed the research for this article. Makpal, now a lawyer, continues to win eagle contests and encourages other young women. Aisholpan, 13, is the daughter of nomadic people. The other thing that helped us, and I think makes it feel almost like a narrative, is that Aisholpan and Agalai were training a lot. The Eagle Huntress (Trailer) Aisholpan, a 13-year-old girl, trains to become the first female in 12 generations of her Kazakh family to become an eagle hunter in the trailer for the. We would rope the door of that open and then have the Steadicam in the side door, and that was how we did our tracking shots to see when they were galloping down across the tundra in the snow. 2016. Aisholpan's younger sister intends to carry on the family's heritage when Aisholpan leaves for college. Kazakh families are deeply committed to preserving their ancient legacy. For centuries, her Kazakh family's. He was weeping. Early publicity for the film did little to inspire confidence, by stating that Aisholpan had fought "an ingrained culture of misogyny to become the first female eagle hunter in 2,000 years of male-dominated history" - a claim that US historian Adrienne Mayor has shown is untrue. There are other moments that critics grumble about. 2014. Trained golden eagles have served Kazakh hunters of Mongolia for a millennium, and eagle hunting is a skill traditionally passed down from father to son. "The blessing scene - he said he was going to do this, I just asked him to do it outside. No malls, no Shake Shacks. The shot is framed and the camera is rolling when the conversation between the two men takes place outside the tent, and the girl is summoned to receive the old man's good wishes. There's a certain pride in their identity and this ancient tradition, so they quite liked exhibiting it. "Elders and respected hunters blessed me some time ago," said the 25-year-old Makpal, "and I'm still getting their support." Thank goodness we had Agalai, the father, because his understanding of the landscape and of nature is almost preternatural. "That would have been enough in the film. NFS: Tell me about the crew set-up. Bell characterizes Mongolia as backwards and claims that because the Kazakhs live in such isolation they are ignorant about what women can do. Interviewed in Mongolia's leading newspaper in 2016, however, Aisholpan's mother Alma stated that there are no restrictions on girls deciding to be eagle hunters. And in a 4 March 2014 article entitled "Falconry Tournament Tests Ancient Skills" (https://astanatimes.com/2014/03/falconry-tournament-tests-ancient-skills/) by Asset Kalymov for The Astana Times news, two of the men mentioned in the above-noted article as having blessed Makpal's eagle hunting career were described as: "famous berkutchis Aben Toktasynuly and Seitzhan Kodekov whose efforts in the early 1990s helped revive this Kazakh tradition." "I get it; I understand why the cynical critics pooh-pooh it. September 19, 2016 at 7:47AM, Edited September 19, 7:47AM. Bronze Age Sexism In Horses May or May Not Extend to Human Society! Set against the breathtaking expanse of the Mongolian steppe, THE EAGLE . Just mountains, tents, gers, and goats. Amanbol at Eagle Festival, Ulgii, Mongolia, 2014. NFS You started to learn what to predict. Very much like the lyrics of the famous Elizabeth "Jane" Shore was a fiery and charismatic Englishwoman who made a name for herself as one of the many sultry mistresses of the handsome and powerful English king, Edward IV. VideoRescuers search wreckage of deadly Greece train crash, Blackpink lead top stars back on the road in Asia, 'Wales is in England' gaffe sparks TikToker's trip, Ukraine war casts shadow over India's G20 ambitions, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. Anyone strong enough to carry an eagle can begin apprenticeship with one's own eagle. Watch the Trailer Here! Timur Sanat. It was actually quite a dark time. But since antiquity, the challenging conditions on the steppes have meant that men and women engaged in strenuous riding and other activities together. "We took about 700 kilos [1500 lbs.] Spurlock set him up with producers, editors, space to work on it. This open knowledge and free participation," open to anyone strong, capable, and determined enough, continues Soma, is a remarkable trait in pastoralist society, unlike the all-male elite hunting of sedentary cultures. "I started to train when I was 10 years old, going into the mountains with my dad," she told the BBC, while passing through Ulan Bator recently. I didn't go away. The monument was Tamgaly in Kazakhstan, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, provides evidence of the rich history and diverse cultural heritage of Central Asia. We caught up with her to find out what life's like in Mongo. Meghan Fitz-James, a Canadian traveller who spent time with Aisholpan's family, also says that one scene showing Aisholpan training for the eagle festival was in fact shot three days later, in a four-hour shoot with coaching and retakes. Astana Times (Kazakhstan), Nov. 17. http://astanatimes.com/2014/11/expert-falconers-gather-kokshetau-honour-legendary-falconer-masip-batyrkhanuly/, Zhumatov, Shamil. "Those guys are used to being photographed, let's put it that way," says Bell. Aisholpan, National Geographic 2014, and Otto Bell's The Eagle Huntress Sundance poster 2016. I don't know. Seeing commitment and talent in me they bestowed me with an eaglet/baby eagle which they thought/predicted could become a best hunting eagle in the future." Shohan's daughter, Eagle Festival, Ulgii, Mongolia, 2015. I just didn't know how to get it finished. Ren Bo Hansen). Ancient Origins 2013 - 2023Disclaimer- Terms of Publication - Privacy Policy & Cookies - Advertising Policy -Submissions - We Give Back - Contact us. But Mayor and others still argue that the film creates a false impression, by failing to mention other Kazakh eagle huntresses, and exaggerating the patriarchal pressures that Aisholpan had to overcome. Adrienne Mayor , Research Scholar in Classics and History of Science, Stanford University, is the author of The Amazons: Lives and Legends of Warrior Women across the Ancient World (2014), and The Poison King: Mithradates, Romes Deadliest Enemy , nonfiction finalist for the 2009 National Book Award. We ate together. "better-than-Disney magic" - a spot-on assessment of this breathtaking film. Aisholpan (left) at school, in The Eagle Huntress.Credit:Asher Svidensky. When The Eagle Huntress premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 24, one of Hollywood's biggest breakout stars was quietly plotting to use her newfound fame to help make it soar.Star Wars . "The scene where she takes the baby eagle out of the nest - people are always surprised to know that's one single take. Bell: We lived together. mana. September 19, 2016 at 10:05AM, Edited September 19, 10:05AM. In interviews, press releases, and publicity for the film--despite widespread knowledge in 2014 of Makpal Adrazakova'sprior eagle hunting--Aisholpan is presented as the only girl in history to become an eagle hunter, defying Kazakh elders' belief that women are "too fragile and weak." We'd sleep in the ger [traditional Mongolian nomadic tent] at night, like ducks in a row. 2009. Kids & Family. NFS: How did you physically protect yourselves and your gear in those freezing conditions? THE EAGLE HUNTRESS follows Aisholpan, a 13-year-old girl, as she trains to become the first female in twelve generations of her Kazakh family to become an eagle hunter, and rises to the pinnacle of a tradition that has been handed down from father to son for centuries. Bell spent $US80,000 "my whole life's savings" and took out a high-interest loan to fund the trip. Under many of her Instagram photos featuring Makpal Abdrazakova ) 2016, reprinted in on. The Eagle Huntress (1,084) 7.5 1 h 27 min 2016 G A teenage girl named Ashol-Pan and living in the mountains of northwestern Mongolia learns how to become an eagle huntress. Then, two things happened: either Chaos or Gaia created the universe as we know it, or Ouranos and Tethys gave birth to the first beings. As Belgian photographer Stefan Cruysberghs remarked, Amanbol and Bazarbai are the new generation [who] will make sure these ancient traditions will be kept alive., FIG 2.8. Today, the ancient arts of the brkitshi (berkutchi, eagle hunter) are carried on mainly by Kyrgyz and Kazakh nomadic groups who are now dispersed in Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and We shot the film principally on a RED Epic in 5K. They're busy. [8] Director Otto Bell said of Ridley, "Like so many other theatergoers around the world, I was blown away by Daisy's recent portrayal of an empowered female protagonist [Rey in The Force Awakens]. 2023 BBC. The little twin propeller plane that flies up to their region twice a week physically couldn't take off with our bodies and all of the gear that we had. At the 2013 festival in Nura she was awarded a prize by virtue of being the only female competing. Asian Conference on Asian Studies, International Academic Forum. Dec. 2, 2016. She's not; as Stanford academic Adrienne Mayor convincingly argues, there have been many female eagle hunters, dating back to ancient times, and a handful of them in the modern era. If they maybe can't read lines and lines of subtitles, this gives them little hand-holds to help navigate the film. I actually went in debt with the bank for another $12,000.". When I finally saw the film at TIFF 2016, I had to find out for myself: How did this remarkable documentary get made? It has a stirring musical soundtrack, ends with an anthem "You can do anything" sung by pop superstar Sia, and is narrated by another teenage role model, Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley. 2016. We were just blazing alongside them. NFS: You were out in that winter tundra for 22 days? Amanbol at Eagle Festival, Ulgii, Mongolia, 2014. The only artistic licence he took, he insists, is the opening sequence in which a hunter sets his bird free (the Kazakhs release their eagles after seven years, deeming them to have entered the stage of their lives when they are ready to become parents themselves). I've never really seen Agalai, the father, get that emotional. 2015. http://www.barkman.nl/en/werk_compleet.jsp?categorie=1&nummer=1. While The Eagle Huntress showed Aisholpan's father Nurgaiv passing on his hunting skills to his daughter with a calm wisdom, not all locals were depicted as being so supportive. ", Aisholpan hunting for foxes in the Altai mountains.Credit:Sony Pictures Entertainment. Udriin Sonin (Daily News , Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia) Jan. 21. https://dnn.mn/n-aisholpan-the-eagle-huntress/. We set aside about five days to film that final act [in which Aisholpan and her father go alone into the deep wilderness to hunt fox]. Duchardt, Kilmeny. Of course, finding a fox took forever. It sounds a little like a Disney movie, perhaps, but The Eagle Huntress is a documentary of uncommon beauty, shot in western Mongolia in three grabs between July 2014 and February 2015. 2014. that this movie has people buzzing. 2012. (Photo 2010 Mongolia, courtesy of Bek, backtobektravel.com), In 2010, at age 5, Aisulu began helping her father Ardak train an eagle. By bringing together top experts and authors, this archaeology website explores lost civilizations, examines sacred writings, tours ancient places, investigates ancient discoveries and questions mysterious happenings. Nirgidma with her eagle. The spark for the film came when director Otto Bell came across photographs of Aisholpan taken by Israeli photographer Asher Svidensky on the BBC News website, in April 2014. The Eagle Huntress is on limited release nationally from March 16. Not everyone continues eagle hunting: military service, education, marriage, family, and employment can intervene. Read about our approach to external linking. As far as reconstructing stuff and staging stuff, what you see on the screen is what we got.". Who will win? Fair Winds Trade From the Aegean to Egypts Amarna, Translation of 5,500-Year-Old Babel Text from China Reveals Oldest Known Map of Inner Solar System, 3: The Perfect Number - Trinity Symbolism in World Religious Traditions, The origins of human beings according to ancient Sumerian texts, Evidence that Noahs Ark Landed on a Mountain 17 Miles South of Ararat. of gear, about 28 Pelican cases. [Spurlock] called me back that day. On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 94% approval rating based on 126 reviews with an average rating of 7.41/10. Earth-2's version of Bruce Wayne . eagleto be their hunting companions, the early nomads made the harsh, unforgiving steppes into a land rich with accessible game for furs and food. Bell: They're a very hospitable people. Her father, like his father before him, hunts with a majestic golden eagle, and Aisholpan dreams of carrying on the family tradition . After some initial misses, her eaglet successfully kills its first fox and she returns home. [25] The filmmakers made Aisholpan and her family "profit participants" in the documentary and established a fund to help pay for Aisholpan's higher education. For weeks at a time. tailored to your instructions. And it's true that when he first saw that image of Aisholpan, he knew there was something zeitgeisty in it. http://www.primaoutdoor.com/lauren-mcgough-apprentices-with-eagle-falconers-in-mongolia/. I saw his spellbinding work, and was like, "There's got to be a film behind that photo." Film reviews round-up: The Eagle Huntress, Through the Wall, Ballerina, The Son of Joseph. "But we ended up filming that amazing sequence, and that became the heart of the first act.". Another calls it a "repetitious, half-baked, contrived and crudely staged homily on female empowerment [that] tells us less about Kazakh nomads than Pocahontas does about the Algonquins in 17th Century Virginia". 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