River Road (2014) - full transcript

In the early centuries C.E.

the nomadic Tangut, Khitan, Tibetan
people roamed Central Asia

vying for control of the region.

In the late 9th century

the kingdom of the Sari Uyghur was powerful
in the Hexi Corridor of the Silk Road.

By the 11th century

the regime had been destroyed

by the Western Xia dynasty

leaving the Sari Uyghur people
scattered throughout the Corridor

Today, 14,000 descendants of the ancient Sari Uyghur

still live in the Hexi Corridor.



In 1953, they were officially

named the Yugur ethnic minority,
meaning wealth and stability.

Don't bring any more water

We've broken some drills already
They used to drill 4 or 5 meters deep for water

Now we can't get any
water for 10 or 20 meters

People are digging wells everywhere
for new farmland

There are too many wells,
and there's not enough water

The water level has fallen.
Now it's almost run dry

Sell your sheep while they're still fat

Otherwise, you won't get a good price.

Dad, here's your medicine. How do you feel?

The same. I'm not going to die

It makes no difference if I take it or not

I live close to town



There's no need for you to get me medicine

How is your wife feeling?

I had to sell half my herd to
pay the doctor

You should look after her anyway

I will make sure that Bartel comes
to see his mom this summer

Is there water in the fields
so the herds can graze?

We can't stay there very long

The grasslands closer to the town
are drying up

Better fields for grazing are further away
We walked along the river for days

before we found a meadow with water
Most of the grasslands are protected by conservation

It's getting hard to do an honest
day's work as a herdsman

Be persistent

Too many young people

have sold their herds and become farmers

Crops are being planted on the grasslands

Wells are everywhere

But the wells are nearly dry
and so are the lakes

Some people are trying to mine gold

or have gone to the city for work.
They will never herd again

It's a pity. When I was young

cows and sheep grazed on the
grassy meadows.

That wasn't a long time ago

We can't stay very long on the new pasture
We must go further away to find water

Summer vacation starts in another month

If you herd further away from town

I'll look after Adikeer for you

I'll give him food and a little money

Dad, don't come with me any further

The herd hasn't been out to graze for days

My wife is waiting for me
to bring her medicine

Dad!

I found this balloon box on my way here

Give to Bartel
but don't let Adikeer know

Okay

The touch of mother's hand is always gentle

Ever since I can remember

my mother's gentle hands sewed
new cloths for me

When I left home for school

my mother's gentle hands

silently packed my bags

All her longing and endless love

accompanied me on my journey

Children! In addition to identifying the
main themes of each paragraph

also write down the lines of this author

that evoke images of tears streaming
down your face

and an aching heart

when you think of those gentle

yet tired and withered hands of your mother

This shirt seems to fit Bartel

Hello

How much for this shirt?

That one?

50 yuan

No way!

Fatty's mom bought the same shirt last week
for only 40 yuan

That's true. 30 yuan for
a child's shirt is enough

I'm not selling it for less than 50 yuan!

Bartel! Bartel! Dad is buying
you a new shirt!

Bartel! Dad's bought you a new shirt!

Dad, didn't you buy me one?

No. Let's go

What about me?

Your brother will grow out of it by
next spring. You can have it then

Why do I always have to wear
Bartel's hand-me-downs?

That's not fair

Don't behave like this. Stop crying.
You're not little anymore

Dad! Odorji!

That's unfair!

Tell your wife to take this medicine

Make sure you give her the drops

the same way you used to do

If you don't see any improvement

you should take her to be examined
in the city hospital

Wait! I need to tell you something

Your father came to buy pills
a few days ago

He's not been well lately

You'd better take him to the
hospital to be checked

Okay

Don't waste your money

Listen to your teachers

You must dry the meat and cheese
so they don't go bad

Go back to class

You can come home next month
for your holiday

Don't forget to pay the camel fees

Take it all! I don't want anything
from our father

My grandpa cooks me great meals everyday

Your father found this on the street

He only found one
so he wants you to have it

But don't tell Adikeer

Your parents want you to go live with them.
Your mom is very ill

This summer I will take you to them

You must go to see her

Don't blame Adikeer

It was your grandma and I who felt
that your mom was finding it difficult

looking after you when she was pregnant

We felt it was better for
you to live with us

We thought that when you were older you could
go back to live with your parents and brother

Even though they treated me like their favorite
guest and gave me everything I wanted

I still cried for you and Grandma at night

They had no choice except
to bring me back here

I was four when Grandma died.
They didn't want you to be lonely

so they left me here with you

You've told me this so many times

Grandpa, did I get it right?

It happened because your mom was pregnant

with Adikeer before you turned one

She couldn't look after you because
she was having another baby

My parents don't care whether I'm around
or not. Isn't Adikeer enough for them

No matter what, you have to go to
see your mom this summer

I promised your dad I would take
you to see her this summer

Grandpa, why are you here?

I came to get medicine and
also to pick you up

Let's go, Grandpa

Go get your younger brother.
We'll go home together

Adikeer

Adikeer, come here!

Come here!

You will stay with us this weekend

and come back to school on
Monday with your brother

Let's go

Do you like school?

No

Why not?

If I wasn't in school, I could ride
horses and herd sheep

In school I feel like a sheep

Oh, you like to herd?

I wish I could grow up faster.
I want to be a herder like Dad

and go wherever I want

Grand[a, why doesn't Dad
herd closer to town?

The grasslands closer to town

are getting drier and drier

The pastures further away from
town are more fertile

Herdsmen always live near the
lusher pastures

Grandpa, why aren't the grasslands
here as lush as the ones far away?

The grass is getting old like me

It's sick and needs to rest

Bartel, share your toys with your brother

Adikeer, eat some cheese and jerky

Grandpa, where's my balloon box?

It's underneath the drawers

I thought you didn't like the
balloon box I found

You didn't find it. Odorji found it.
He only found one

and he gave it to me

I'll take you to Sandaoliang
meadow tomorrow

Many balloon boxes have come down there

You're lying, Grandpa. They haven't
found any in Sandaoliang

They've only dropped in the
desert on the west side

Where are you going?

To pee

Deep in the meadow there lived a family

They are the Huda family

They have many cows and sheep

One

Two

Three

Four Five Six

Count them all

Oh, the sheep are in the meadow

Sir, please give me handful of wool

The river carries

The blessings of our ancestors

Please bless our children

and help them find their way home

The meadow expands like a father's embrace

The river flows like a mother's love

The green grass is disappearing

The rivers are drying up

Students. We've just learnt the method of
rounding-off to get the approximate answer

Let's do an exercise

Suppose today's exchange rate is

one dollar to 6.21 yuan

Alright. Your mom has 600 yuan

How many dollars can she get?
Can you calculate this?

Yes

Do it

Please calculate to two decimal points

Adikeer

Why isn't your brother here?

I don't know

Go to your grandpa's home after school.
Tell your older brother to come to my office

Okay

He's delinquent and has a bad attitude

He's been absent from school for two days

Sit down

Time is up. Pass your exam
papers to the front

Hand them in quickly

Quickly, please!

Hurry up!

You should study harder instead
of cramming at the last minute

Give them to me

Have I got all the papers?

Yes

We're on holiday!

We can go home!

Why did you hang this on my camel's neck?

Can't you see it's making his knees beed?

Your came; was running wild
without the block

My camel is used to roaming freely.
He goes where he wants, eats what he likes

but you hunt this block on him.
He can't run anymore

You brought your camels to our region.
Yugurs should observe our rules here

Let's go

Give me the camel fees for this month.
Give them to me

You're a pretty bad tempered kid

Bartel, we're grownup enough to
look for Mom and Dad on the prairie

Let's go together

Grandpa said you must visit Mom this summer

Mom misses you!

She only misses me because she's dying.
Where were Mom and Dad when Grandpa died?

If you don't go home, Grandpa's soul can't return
to the grasslands. His soul will be lost forever.

Bartel!

We can take Grandpa and Grandma's
portraits with us

They will protect us on our journey home

I packed up everything Dad bought you

and the rest of the jerky and cheese

It'll be enough for us on the way home

If you want to stay here

you can still come back after the
summer holiday

Bartel!

There used to be a river here. This is fun!

Stop drinking so much water.
You're wasting it

We should stop and rest.
We can set out when the sun goes down

Bartel, did you see that?

No

Bartel. The sun is setting. We should go

Don't look for water there

Dad and I took this route in the spring.
The well has dried up

Hey! Look! It's Fatty!
This could have been his family's house

Bartel! Are you scared?

Stupid

Dad and I passed by this village
in the spring

There were still a few families living here

But now they've all gone

Bartel, let's stop! We're lost!

Bartel! I think we should head east

Why should I listen to you?

Dad told me to always follow the river

So which river do you want to follow?

I've been following the river!

I don't need to listen to your garbage

Dad and I walked this path
to and from school

every spring and summer

You should listen to me!

We've been guiding the camels

Now let's let them loose

Grandpa said camels know
where to find water

So let's see where they head
and we'll follow them

Heh! I know where we are.
Dad and I always passed this empty house

Bartel. Come and join me by the fire

It's much warmer here

If you don't want to there's still more
dung. You can make your own fire

Isn't it better if I freeze to death?

When I was little they didn't want me

I'm only going home because
I told Grandpa I'd see Mom

The murals describe Emperor Wu of Han
sending his ambassador Zhang Qian

to the Tocharian Kingdom of the Western Regions
to find out the origin and significance of the statues

The gold statues were presented to Wu in 120 BCE after
his campaign against the nomadic Xiongnu of Central Asia

Bartel!

Bartel!

Bartel! Have you seen my camel?

Adikeer! Run faster!

Mom, bring me the nose stud for the calf

Alright. I'm coming

Here you are

I told you not to fight over your
mother's milk

Bartel, don't hit your dad

Stop! Listen to me!

Your camel will be okay

If mt camel wasn't sick
we wouldn't have found this place

We spent summers here. The grasslands
were as beautiful as gold

Your camel's dying anyway.
Let' kill it so we can drink its blood

I hope you die of thirst! I told you not to drink
so much water but you didn't listen to me

Grandpa said that camels have
an amazing memory

They go back to their birthplace
when they're dying

We don't have any more water
and we've miles to go

Who do you think you are?
Don't tell me what to do

If Grandpa didn't make me promise to see
Mom this summer I would never go back

You think I like traveling with you? If Mom wasn't sick and didn't want
to see you so much I wouldn't have asked you to come with me

Everyone loves you more than me!

Every winter Mom sews new wool
into clothes for you and Grandpa

What about me?

You bastard!

I hate you!

We are the same!

I hate you!

Shit!

Damn it!

The favorite!

Asshole!

It's all your fault! If you weren't around they wouldn't
have sent me to live with Grandma and Grandpa

Why are you blaming me? If it was up to me
I wouldn't have been born into this family

Everyone likes you the best

Why'd you throw sand into me eyes?
You're a piece of shit!

You deserved it! I hope you die.
Shut the fuck up!

That doesn't hurt much. He'll be fine

Hey camel. Look at me

I punched Adikeer hard in his chest

I'm fine. He was faking it

Don't you think so?

Stupid camel, you're on his side

Don't cry

Your younger brother won't die

Excuse me, Lama

Have you seen a little boy
a bit shorter than me?

Can you give me some water for my camel?

There's barely enough water for the lamas

Let alone for your camel

I still have several days to travel.
My camel will die without water

Mao Lan

Yes?

When you give salt to our camels
can you also give some to this boy's camel?

Okay

You came just in time

You would find no one in this temple

if you came tomorrow

All the lamas are going to
other temples in town

There's no need for this temple anymore

Where did you come from?

I came from the town

My grandfather lived on the
prairie close to town

but his well ran dry

He asked someone to dig a new well

but there was still no water after
digging 25 meters

So Grandpa sold all his sheep

Then we all have to go to town

to find someplace with water

Are you alone?

Adikeer was with me

Then why are you alone? Where's Adikeer?

Where are you going?

To his home
to see his sick mom

Where is his home?

Adikeer says it's where the grass is lush

Come here, boy

Do you want water?

Come with me

Boy

The scroll you're looking at

is called "Gratitude towards Parents"

Parents are dear to us

They give us life. They raise us up

The rivers, like our mothers, are drying up

The prairies, like our fathers,
are becoming impotent

To live a life of gratitude

you must pray for your parents

This is how you repay them their love

Let us pray

for the recovery of your parents
and our lands

My child.
Your father did not come to pick up you

because he continues herding

and is fighting to stay on the prairie

We must respect him

Child.
This's my camel, now you can have it

May Buddha bless your journey home

I have something for you

Go!

I'll wait here for you till the day
when the grass will be lush

and you shall return

You catch it. Dad gave me one

You can't suck on that

Mom says they use balloons
as urine bags on planes

It's true. I'm right!

So when you pick it up
did you see urine in the balloon?

Whenever Mom cooked

she always thought about you

and left lots of food for you,
even if you weren't there

When Grandpa and Grandma came back with you

and then when you left with them again

Mom became very sad and
wouldn't speak for days

Here. You can try it

No! it doesn't work like that.
Do it this way

First, put the string

on your fingertip

Then wrap it around

Throw it down like this

Got it! Give it to me!

Here you are

Hooray! We've found water

Bartel! Come here!

It's too hot. I'm going swimming!

Bartel, aren't you hot? Come and join me

Come in!

Hurry up!

We're almost home.
There's water here

If we can get home before dark
Mom will cook dinner for us

Mom said that the sheep
she helped birth are yours

The sheep that dad helped birth
will be mine

After we arrive home

We'll have our herds and
can go herding with Dad

Uncle, what are you doing here?

Mining for gold