Directed by Otto Bell, documentary The Eagle Huntress tells the story of Aisholpan, a 13 year-old Kazakh girl competing to be the first female eagle hunter in Mongolia. She’s up against a bunch of crusty old guys who would much rather she stayed home and milked the goats, so it’s no mistake that Daisy Ridley (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) steps in to narrate the astounding story – another woman all too familiar with making a lot of grown men scream-cry at the changing world.
The momentous central task of The Eagle Huntress is aided in its gravity by staggering scenery, slow-motion eagle action that would make Attenborough weep, and perfectly timed talking heads that would give The Office a run for its money. At times, the footage can jump suddenly from sweeping, pristine mountain vistas to more shonky Go-Pro grain, but the uneven haste at which the story is captured only helps to make her journey all the more enthralling.
Capturing the calm, controlled erosion of the patriarchy in this remote, tradition-steeped corner of the world, The Eagle Huntress is a soaring testament to women everywhere who simply refuse to play by society’s bullshit rules. It’s a visually exquisite film, a father-daughter love story and a must-see feminist fable for the whole family. As if that wasn’t enough, the eagles also wear funny little leather bras over their eyes that make them look like they are about to go to some kind of sexy Fifty Shades of Grey party. Honestly, what more do you want in a movie?
‘The Eagle Huntress’ movie times
