I would like to talk about the movie “Mountain Patrol”, filmed in 2004 by the Chinese director Chuan Lu. The peculiarity of this director's narrative is inherent in all of his films, but here he surpassed himself. Merging in one movie two different approaches – the artistic and documentary one was an unmatched idea. At least, hardly anyone else came across this symbiosis. It really turned out a beautiful picture, in which both actors and documentary were involved. I believe that his film was a key moment in the struggle to save the antelope Chiru, not only in China but also in neighboring countries. And so let us start in order.
The film is based on real events. In the 1980s, in the Chinese Tibetan region flourished the mass extermination of the Tibetan antelope, whose valuable skin was in demand in the West. Massive poaching led to the fact that for decades the population of antelopes has dropped from millions to just a few thousand individuals. Chinese poachers went hunting in groups of 10-15 people and shot the whole herds of antelope with Kalashnikov assault rifles, shot on the spot with their skin and smuggled abroad.
In the early 1990s, a group of Chinese volunteer founded a squad for the protection of the region from poachers, numbering about 25 people, which were known under unofficial nickname “Mountain Patrol”. After the news of the brutal murder of one of the squad members by poachers in Tibet, Beijing sent a journalist to prepare a special report. Arriving in the squad, he immediately hits the slain soldier's funeral ceremony. Actually, it is difficult to call the funeral. According to local custom, the body is washed, Tibetan monks, and then taken out in the field, is cut with an ax, and given to be devoured waiting for vulture. Then, there were squad’s chases by detachment of the poachers, a series of deaths, forgiveness and farewell, the desire to survive in the harsh conditions of mountain Kekexili plateau.
A journalist’s report had a shocking impact on the entire China and caused a national outrage. A year later, the Chinese government announced Kekexili a District National Park area, and trade with wool of Tibetan antelope has been recognized illegal by most countries. Since then, the population of these antelopes could bring up to 30 thousand individuals. Patrol operated from 1993 to 1996, and the survivors of its members were dismissed.
What is the essence of this film? I think that at any time and in any country, there is a place for a feat, which in this case is made by simple peasants. Having no material interests, they are risking their lives (and without pathos, in an ordinary way), knowing very well that each raid may be the last for them (Eagan, 2006).
In visual terms, the picture is filmed, in my opinion, professionally and beautifully, without the use of light filters. Panoramic shooting of the Tibetan landscapes in the spirit of the “National geographic” documentary movies is combined with close-ups of actors, on which every wrinkle is clearly visible. In the acting troupe, there is no eminent Chinese artist, but a lot of them looked very charismatic on the screen, and their immediate natural game creates realistic sensual images. Soundtrack alternates oriental singing, violin melodies in minor alarm tones and natural sounds of wind, sand and snow storm, leisurely conversations, buzzing flies, stamping chases and car engines roar. However, in long sequences, the individual music is absent. All this creates a special realistic narrative style as if the picture was a report of the “British Broadcasting Corporation’s” crew. This movie can be distinguished from the rest, even assuming manner in which it is filmed, I would say, an art documentary (Ebert, 2006).
As the authors’ successful discoveries we could mention several emotional scenes. Here are just a couple. When one of the “Mountain Patrol” fighters is charge to take seriously wounded comrade to the nearest locality – it means that he will have a two-day trip on the road. During the early days of the raid he was much exhausted, but if now he falls asleep on the way, he will have to wake up next to the corpse. To prevent this, a fighter knits a rigid braid in his benevolent and ties it with a rope to the ceiling frame of jeep.
The film has been widely recognized in many countries around the world. In 2005, the picture was marked by high awards at Berlin, Hong Kong and Tokyo film festivals. In 2006, at the festival “Golden horse” the movie of the same name was awarded by prizes in two categories – "Best Director" and "Best Film". This picture can be described as another step of Chinese filmmakers to the level of great world cinema.
The film was so popular and hurt the feelings of many due to its realism, not only in the same plot, but also directly at the shootings. The film tells about the desperate people who came to the defense of nature. They were years away from home, patrolling the desert and believed in their cause. On the one hand, their mission was sanctioned by the state, but no one helped them, either financially or in humanitarian way. It cannot hurt the feelings of people who watch almost a vivid picture on the screen, how the people, exhausted by the sun, lack of water and food are selflessly fighting for their work, despite the fact that at every step the armed poachers are ready to pull the trigger at any moment ("Film Fest Journal: Kekexili: Mountain Patrol, 2004", 2016).
By the way, despite its loud idea, in the movie there is completely absent idealistic speech. Perhaps it was in life that those who went on patrol understand why they do it, and much inspiration for this was not required. All new recruits who joined the ranks of the patrol did not need initial support and guidance. They know what they need to do. They knew that only they could stop poaching and extinction of antelope (the number of which was reduced in 1990 from millions to a few thousands) and that no would help in this but other such persistent lovers of nature and animals, who also were in the patrol ("Mountain Patrol (2004)", n.d.).
From Beijing comes the journalist Ga Yu, who joins the patrol and shoots a report on their work and daily life. When he films this report and lived with them side by side, he is imbued with the idea. He is aware that these people are not merely abnormal nature lovers who are willing to risk their lives for the sake of vague and illusive ideals. No, by no means, he realizes that these people are fighting for what is really important in this world. They are fighting for the preservation of species, for human harmony with nature and wildlife. When he realizes this truth, he realizes that the patrol took on the hands of justice. “Mountain Patrol” does the work of the government, which cannot ensure the safety of antelopes and cannot stop poaching in Kekexili area. They are representatives of the authorities in these parts, and they take the responsibility for fair trial (Mudge 2004).
Of course, the feature of this movie is not only a realistic plot and photography, but this film is absolutely a true story, which was shot in real locations. Patrol is a detachment of extremely tough people who in their own mind are not no better than poachers in bandages. With arms on the edge, these two groups of people divided the territory into two zones, while antelopes are somewhere in the middle. Both teams are ready to kill each other, but ones in order the antelopes to lose their skins, while others are willing to kill, for antelope’s security. Both groups do not know where the enemy is, but understand that they can run into him at any time. From this, life becomes a continuous stress, even when a dream is a luxury (Murray 2006).
In general, in the film we see beautiful unspoiled wildlife scenery as bait for the audience. Everyone looks at a beautiful picture and admires, saying that he or she would live here a couple of years. But in this movie, there is no such, as Kekexili is shown as an absolutely unfriendly and dry place. It is a real desert, earthy land, scorched by the sun, where there is nothing. There are only desert and mountains, but also in the mountains you will find not very welcoming place to stay, but the risk of stumbling on poachers’ ambush.
Watching the journalist's work, the viewer is permeated with the life of patrol. Ritai, who is their leader, said in the course of the film that he himself had to sell the skins of antelopes. They collected the skins that they have captured from the killed poachers. Since they had not funded, they were forced to sell the skins that would somehow ensure their mission, although with minimal goods. Purely by law, they are not civil servants and are not entitled even to arrest of these poachers, but not many follow their actions in these parts for and, if some of the poachers lost, it is unlikely that someone will notice it. Patrol members are also facing the problems within the family, because not every woman will understand for what, without receiving any benefits and dividends, they run for years in the wilderness, even while out of the network, risking their lives, without getting even the minimum wage. This is also a problem, faced by defenders of antelope (Sonam 2016).
One of the distinguishing features of the film is its documentary style of narration. This is due to the fact that the “National Geographic” participated in its creation. Good or bad, everyone will have an opinion about this, but whether it is appropriate? To this question, I will answer more than yes. Documentary style gave this film an extraordinary charge. In my opinion, it is thanks to the documentary style that in the supply of information there was so much excitement and the reaction of people who came to the rally in support of antelope, what actually led to the Chinese government's activities, aimed at improving the situation.
Before 1985, China had more than one million Tibetan antelopes Chiru, but trading with the skins of animals that are found only in remote parts of Tibet and Xinjiang Uygur areas of the country, as well as in Qinghai province, has acquired an international dimension and continues to grow. Every year, thousands of these rare animals are to be killed for the sake of valuable wool, used to make pashmina (shawl) – a popular item of women's wardrobe. Price of pashmina wool from Chiru reaches $ 15,000. This story has acquired an international character, as the poaching of rare animals is a problem not only in China. Such problems were faced by many countries. There are even international poachers, who conduct their business in different parts of the world. Two of the leaders of “Mountain Patrol”, Sonam Dargo and Taba Dorje, sacrificed their lives and were killed by poachers. It was after their death when China established the reserve to restore populations of antelope Chiru, named after Sonam.
In fact, the movie characters are fighting for such a thing or even the concept as "animal rights." This is the idea of the equality of basic needs of humans and animals, for example, the need to avoid pain, to save one’s life, and so on. Proponents have different philosophical views, but all in general are united in the fact that animals cannot be treated as a private property and used to produce food, especially clothing, in the entertainment industry, and scientific experiments, as well as some rights such as the right to life and protection from bodily harm and moral harm, should be legally assigned to the animals. The concept of animal rights has received its development with the idea of justice in relation to animals, according to which the only ethical approach to the problem is considered to be a fair attitude towards all living beings. All participants of the “Mountain patrol” have a clear position in relation to animals, especially antelopes living in the area of Kekexili, and this view coincides with the concept.
The director Chuan Lu spent three years on filming the movie, which tells the story through the eyes of a reporter. In order the film as much as possible to be genuine and authentic, Lu used unknown actors and amateurs instead of movie stars. Actors especially do not use makeup – they are portrayed as fairly unpleasant character types, all in ragged clothes and dirty faces. Despite the sharpness of stories, movie avoids sentimentality. Chuan Lu says that he wanted to give the audience more space for reflection, instead of another tearful drama on the screen, which would be forgotten quickly. The finale of the film is remarkable for many reasons. For the first time on the silver screen we can see the funeral rites and the Tibetan antelope.
Nature in the scene was one of the toughest in the world and almost everyone who participated in the filming, earned his mountain sickness and other diseases. At the end of filming, out of 108 workers, only little more than 60 people remained. Those very difficult scenes, including scenes with quicksand and stunts were performed by non-professional, but very talented actors. The end of the film is far from "happy ending", but Chuan Lu said that he had been thinking about the finals for a long time and decided that it would be a good move: the idealism of the commander of the patrol leads to an inevitable end – his ideals are too far from the unpleasant reality.
This film is a true manifesto, which applies not only to China but also all over the world. After all, all countries are faced similar problems, and their solutions consist only in cooperation and shared coordination. To do this, there are intergovernmental agreements relating to the protection of nature and well-being of the animal world, which directly or indirectly affect animals. International conventions and agreements often have a significant impact on the protection of animals and their well-being, since they determine the international and national policies, legislation and priorities in the allocation of budgets. International organizations and agreements are able to produce the agreed principles for the protection of animals and their habitats, suitable for the whole world. The governments of various countries are slowly but steadily maturing awareness that animal welfare issues should be openly discussed at a global level (Crews, n.d.). When countries take the necessary decisions and commit themselves to implement them –most important became the mechanisms of their implementation. Only then the animals get the necessary protection and the situation is improving. To this end, there is an exercise control over the law enforcement practices in the field of wildlife protection. There is anti-poaching training and illegal international trade and training of law enforcement officers, standing guard with environmental legislation. States need to understand that this issue should be on the agenda in international organizations, which are directly related to the flora and fauna. This film shows not only a tearful story, filled with drama, but also there are people who are willing to give their lives for the preservation of the species ("A Model for Conservation in China? | Christina Larson | Journalist in China", 2016). They give their lives in order the animals to be safe from poaching. And this is not an idealized fiction of some writers, but it is a harsh truth with which people have faced in China in the late 20th century, and this truth has been faced by everybody at the beginning of the 21st century.
The film gave a major boost not only for China, but also at least for neighboring countries, imbued with this problem. Question of the antelope Chiru arouse interest of other countries, such as India. The movement of the environmental protection activists in India is hoping to stop the destruction of the Tibetan antelope to trade shawls, encouraging manufacturers to use the wool out of endangered domestic goats. Tibetan antelope Chiru needs help, says Los Angeles Times: "Help me, please", she pleads with posters placed in several luxury boutiques in New Delhi. "Destroyed five chiru to make one shahtoosh shawl," says the poster. Orongo Antelope, or chiru, once dwelt on the high plains of Central Asia, now is preserved only in some parts of Tibet, but it was under threat of complete destruction. Concerned environmentalists in India began a vigorous campaign to persuade manufacturers of shahtoosh shawls to promote alternative fashion line – Pashmi (pashma), the traditional hand-knitted Kashmir pashmina, which is made of the wool of domestic Himalayan goats, which are not endangered. India shares borders with Tibet in the Himalayas, where there is a hard struggle for survival of about 100 thousand Chiru. On the high pastures of the Tibetan Plateau, these animals are subjected to intensive production due to its undercoat, giving very fine wool for making shawls shahtoosh. Every year in Tibet there are killed from 7 to 8 thousand Chiru, at a pace they will disappear as a species for some 7-8 years.
So why the poachers are risking their lives in an attempt to hunt the given species of antelopes? The answer to this question is quite simple, because it is their profit, and since the expensive shawls shahtoosh are produced from this particular type of animal, the poachers are doing everything possible, in order the customers from abroad not to be running out of the necessary material. Why is China so passive in matters of poaching antelope? It is worth noting that poaching as a phenomenon itself has existed for many years, and it is not so simple to eradicate it at the request of the management. In order to take this issue seriously, and the pursuit of poachers to bear fruit, we need a lot of money and human resources. The Chinese government believes that it is not a cost-effective given action. Benefit here is less than the costs along with the economic losses.
If we talk about China's policy towards the antelope, it should be noted that that there are other solutions to problems with Chiru. It is not necessary to follow closely the poaching and spending budget on their capture. It is possible to create conditions for dissemination throughout China, as a minimum. But here's the problem and obstacles, created by linear infrastructure objects, observed throughout Central Asia and the Tibetan highlands. In China, the railway Qinghai-Lhasa prevents migration of antelope Chiru, as it concerns the wild donkeys and little-known Tibetan antelopes on the Tibetan plateau. Fences around the Qinghai Lake were the reason that this kind of gazelle as the Przewalski gazelle now is on the verge of extinction. The number of wild Bactrian camels reduced, there are only some populations left, because of the construction of the border fence. As you can see, if there were no artificial barriers created by man for the distribution of some species of animals, they would not be now on the verge of extinction. This is the same problem as the poaching in itself.
This movie stands apart from films of not only China, but also perhaps all the films in the world. Why is it so special? Firstly, this film is an extraordinary appeal to the people, who are not indifferent, calling for rescue of the Tibetan antelope Chiru. This call is designed not just in dramatic narrative style. Here, there is a true documentary. Film represents an art cinema as well since it is filmed in several takes with the participation of though little-known but real actors. It is also a documentary to some extent, because everything happens for real, which applies to scenes, terrain and the general surroundings (Dargis 2006).
The film is very unusual shot, of course, that it is intertwined with the documentary, but that's not the point. Fragments of art style also made a very peculiar way, which is dominated by close-ups of characters in the film, along with actual documentary footage of the whole picture. In my opinion, this is the merit of the director Lu Chuan. His films always stood out among the others, only remember “The Missing Gun” and “City of Life and Death”. He is one of China's most extraordinary directors as well as in the world. His merit is difficult to overestimate. In this particular case, he raised the issue, about which few people thought. He did not just put people before the fact of extinction of antelope Chiru, but he forced everyone to stand out of their comfortable seats and speak out in defense of the antelope.
References
A Model for Conservation in China? | Christina Larson | Journalist in China. (2012). Christina-larson.com. Retrieved 1 April 2016, from http://www.christina-larson.com/a-model-for-conservation-in-china/
Crews, E. The Tibetan Connection: The University's unique relationship with an ancient culture.Virginia Magazine. Retrieved 1 April 2016, from http://uvamagazine.org/articles/the_tibetan_connection
Dargis, M. (2006). Mountain Patrol: Kekexili - Review - Movies - New York Times. Nytimes.com. Retrieved 1 April 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/14/movies/14patr.html
Eagan, D. (2006). MOUNTAIN PATROL: KEKEXILI | Film Journal International. Filmjournal.com. Retrieved 1 April 2016, from http://www.filmjournal.com/mountain-patrol-kekexili
Ebert, R. (2006). Mountain Patrol: Kekexili Movie Review (2006) | Roger Ebert. Rogerebert.com. Retrieved 1 April 2016, from http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/mountain-patrol-kekexili-2006
Film Fest Journal: Kekexili: Mountain Patrol, 2004. (2016). Filmref.com. Retrieved 1 April 2016, from http://filmref.com/journal/archives/2006/02/kekexili_mountain_patrol_2004.html
Mudge, J. (2004). Kekexili: Mountain Patrol (2004) Movie Review | BeyondHollywood.com.Beyondhollywood.com. Retrieved 1 April 2016, from http://www.beyondhollywood.com/kekexili-mountain-patrol-2004-movie-review/
Murray, A. (2006). Kekexili: Mountain Patrol (2004) Movie Review from Eye for Film.Eyeforfilm.co.uk. Retrieved 1 April 2016, from http://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/kekexili-mountain-patrol-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray
Mountain Patrol (2004). IMDb. Retrieved 1 April 2016, from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386651/
Sonam, T. (2016). Mountain Patrol: Kekexili - Movie Reviews - Phayul.com. Phayul.com. Retrieved 1 April 2016, from http://www.phayul.com/mobile/?page=view&c=8&id=13574
