One of the most spectacular films to emerge from the New Chinese Cinema is Tian Zhuangzhuang’s Horse Thief. It tells the tale of Norbu, a horse stealer, who is driven out by his tribe in an effort to purge it of evil. Forced to live in harsh isolation with his family, Norbu repents after the death of his son, but he must revert to stealing after the birth of another child. Using this simple narrative, with a minimum of dialogue, Horse Thief creates a visually spectacular work. It fills the screen with gorgeous Buddhist rituals captured in great detail and the vast empty landscape of Tibet accented by a dramatic use of widescreen photography. Breathtaking and mystical, Horse Thief “has the epic sweep that suggests a western told from the Native American point of view.”
Directed by Zhuangzhuang Tian | Starring : Rigzin Tseshang, Jiji Dan, Daiba, Gaoba, Jamco Jayang | Presented at Fribourg Film Festival, San Francisco Film Festival
Chinese Cinema 