Review: The Eagle Huntress (U)

Narrated by Daisy Ridley who starred in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Eagle Huntress is a heartwarming documentary feature made by first-time British director Otto Bell.
By The Newsroom
Published 16th Dec 2016, 07:54 BST
Updated 17th Dec 2016, 09:18 BST

It tells the story of one teenage girl who aims to overturn centuries of tradition in her community, which is located in the stunningly beautiful Mongolian Altai mountains.

Thirteen-year-old Aisholpan is part of a proud Kazakh family, which has trained eagle hunters for 12 generations.

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Her predecessors have all been boys – the tradition is that eagle hunting is handed down from father to son – but Aisholpan’s father is open-minded and firmly believes that his daughter has the necessary qualities to prove the doubters wrong and outmanoeuvre the other boys.

Father and daughter train diligently for months in the breathtaking landscape, slowly building Aisholpan’s confidence and determination until they both feel that she is ready to compete against a group of 70 of the greatest Kazakh eagle hunters in Mongolia at the prestigious Golden Eagle Festival.

The film’s end credits include an uplifting original song, Angel By The Wings, performed by Sia and co-written by Greg Kurstin.

Released in selected cinemas