ATIRKÜL IN THE LAND OF REAL MEN
Buzkashi has been a popular equestrian sport in Central Asia for centuries. It is played only by men. Atirkül, a woman with an enterprising spirit, enters this tough masculine world to form her own buzkashi team.
On the vast plains of Kyrgyzstan, men continue to practise buzkashi, a team sport that has been popular in Central Asia for centuries. The aim of the game is to steal the trophy of a dead goat from the rival team of riders while remaining on horseback. We watch players gallop across the plains against a backdrop of snow-topped mountains and blue skies, jumping on each other like rugby players to grab the goat carcass and take it across the goal line. The sound of whinnying horses is intensified by exhilarating drum beats. Into this tough masculine world enters Atirkül, a woman with an enterprising spirit and a sense of humour. Tired of her husband being away from home all the time, she decides to get involved in horse trading. The film portrays the everyday life of this headstrong horse enthusiast and business woman, whose ambition is to find local young men to form her own buzkashi team and in this way preserve the heritage of her native region. Atirkül acts as an adviser and coach to the sometimes inexperienced buzkashi players, directing, feeding and financing the young men, while her involvement in the horse trading business gradually reveals the possibilities of overcoming gender roles.
