This film is part of Free
Mongolia
Mongolian men show off their prowess in wrestling, archery and horse racing, known as the “three manly games”.
Overview
The climax of the Mongolian calendar is the annual games, or Naadam, usually held in July. The excitement is palpable in this film, as men compete in wrestling, archery and horse racing, events designed to show off their masculine physique and sporting skills. Additional scenes show the simple life of these nomadic people, who depend on sheep rearing and horse breeding for their livelihood.
The steppes of northern China are home to the Mongolians, whose nomadic life in search of better pastures for their horses requires them to live in mobile ger (yurts). The film contains an interesting sequence on how felt is made for the ger by rolling wool. The film was made in 1935 in what is now Inner MongoIia, but which was then part of Japan’s puppet state of Manchukuo or Manchuria (1934-45), explaining the presence of Manchu officials sporting queues (braided ponytails) and pointed tasselled hats, both of which had disappeared by this time in the rest of republican China (1912-1949).
Related
A Stilted City. Chungking. China A Stilted City. Chungking. China
Travelogue 1930 1 mins Silent Location: Chongqing
Life among the limpet-like buildings clinging to the steep banks of the Yangtze in southwest China.
Homework and Street Scenes in China Homework and Street Scenes in China
Travelogue 1908 7 mins
Intimate vignettes of crafters, beggars and labourers in the workshops, on the streets and eating in the outdoor kitchens of imperial China.
Among the Tribes in South-West China Among the Tribes in South-West China
Documentary 1948 37 mins Silent
This alluring travelogue follows a missionary on his colourful journey into the ethnically diverse mountains of Yunnan, south west China.
Rice Cultivation in the Si-kiang Delta, South China Rice Cultivation in the Si-kiang Delta, South China
Documentary 1937 2 mins Silent
An exceptionally detailed look at the process of rice cultivation, from planting to harvesting to pounding, in the Xi Jiang Delta, Guangdong Province.
An Oriental Venice An Oriental Venice
Travelogue 1925 2 mins Silent Location: Hangzhou
Enjoy a cruise along the ancient canals of Zhejiang Province in eastern China with this gorgeous stencil-coloured travelogue
Naval Life in China Naval Life in China
Travelogue 1908 4 mins Silent
The waterways of Imperial China are bursting with life in this French travelogue made in the final years of the Qing Dynasty.
Richard Linklater Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Richard Linklater Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 69 mins
Richard Linklater discusses his remarkable and wide-ranging body of work, including Blue Moon and Nouvelle Vague.
Daniel Day-Lewis Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Daniel Day-Lewis Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 73 mins
Daniel Day-Lewis, the ultimate actor’s actor discusses his career in conversation with Mark Kermode.
Jon M. Chu: The Wizard of Wicked Jon M. Chu: The Wizard of Wicked
Inside Film 2025 49 mins
Director Jon M. Chu discusses his ground-breaking vision of Oz.
Yorgos Lanthimos Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Yorgos Lanthimos Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 66 mins
Yorgos Lanthimos sits down with Succession creator Jesse Armstrong to reveal the secret ingredients that underpin his uniquely weird brand of satire.
Islands - Extended Q&A Islands - Extended Q&A
Inside Film 2025 31 mins
Director Jan Ole Gerster and actor Sam Riley talk about Islands, a thriller with noirish undertones and echoes of Hitchcock and Highsmith.
Lynne Ramsay Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Lynne Ramsay Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 67 mins
Lynne Ramsay discusses her singular career populated by visually intoxicating, ground-breaking and provocative films.