Desert Dream

Far from the urban setting of his critically acclaimed Grain in Ear (SFIAAFF ‘06), Zhang Lu sets his newest film on the Mongolian steppes, where the winds of change are quickly erasing all signs of traditional existence. With Sisyphean stubbornness, lead protagonist Hungai (Osor Bat-Ulzii) dedicates himself to a dream of transforming the encroaching desert into a forest. Unfortunately, his vision quest leaves him blind to his own ailing daughter’s plight, compelling his wife to take her to the capital for treat­ment. However, his solitude is short lived, as two North Korean refugees, Soonhee (the beguiling Suh Jung, of Kim Ki-duk’s The Isle) and her son, Changho (Shin Dongho), seek shelter in his yurt. Despite their linguistic barrier, they soon form a kind of familial bond, although Soonhee’s grief threatens to overwhelm her, much as the sands outside smother the saplings planted by her protector.

Desert Dream begins with a documentary-like style, immersing us within the everyday rhythms of a frontier existence, yet gradually, subtle wisps of magical realism circulate around the characters, as well as hints of an even crueler and dangerous world that lies beyond the dunes. Once again, director Zhang invokes the revelatory power of cinema, enticing us with a wake-up call to slow down and truly see the simple wonders of a world few will ever witness, culminating his vision with a single, breathtaking shot that lingers like a mysterious reverie.