The Horse Thief

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The Horse Thief ★★★ Daoma Zei 1987

Noted as the first movie from the People's Republic of China to be released on video, this epic tells the tale of Norbu, a man who, exiled from his people for horse thievery, is forced to wander the Tibetan countryside with his family in search of work. His son dies while he is in exile, and he, a devout Buddhist, is ultimately forced to accept tribal work in a ritual exorcism, after which he pleads to be accepted back into his clan. Beautiful and image-driven, offering a rare glimpse into the Tibet you won't see in travel brochures. Filmed on location with locals as actors. In Mandarin with English subtitles. 88m/C VHS . CH Daiba, Jiji Dan, Drashi, Gaoba, Jamco Jayang, Rigzin Tseshang; D: Tian Zhuangzhuang; W: Rui Zhang; C: Fei Zhao, Hou Yong; M: Xiao-Song Qu.