Johanna d’Arc of Mongolia

Johanna d’Arc of Mongolia

(Johanna d’Arc of Mongolia), Ulrike Ottinger / NĚM, 1989
german / czech and english sub, 165 min

A lesbian Lawrence of Arabia. An international cast portrays a delightful ensemble of characters travelling on the Trans-Mongolian railway. Their journey is interrupted by a band of nomadic Mongol horsewomen led by a Mongolian princess who kidnaps the train’s female passengers. An astounding sense of composition characterizes the first half of the film as Ottinger incorporates mirrors and deep-focus cinematography to capture multiple planes of actions onboard the Trans-Mongolian. In the second half of the film, the plot of the film takes a backseat as we are abducted and carried into the geography of Mongolia.