Ulzhan

Following a strong and mysterious urge, ateacher from Paris goes for a ride with his carthrough Asia, but runs out of gas in Kazahkstan.Happy for the first time in his life, he decidesto walk into the infinite desert, where he hasvagabond experiences like sleeping by anoilfield. He meets a Khazac girl named Ulzhan,who conveniently happens to teach French.Ulzhan’s family sells the Frenchman a horse,the girl hops on and off they go on their specialjourney into the desert.Critically acclaimed director Volker Schlöndorffis a master of existential road trips. His awardwinning“The Voyager” from 1991 was a similarstory about surviving a long way from home. In“Ulzhan”, Schlöndorff explores how to portraythe exotic landscape from a Western point ofview. The camerawork of the wide desert is striking. The audience takes a breath-takingtrip through scrubby steppes and limitless viewsside by side with Charles, the sincere lookingFrenchman. The theme is easily interpreted aswestern involvement in eastern culture, withthe encounter between Charles and Ulzhan asa medium.