With a masterful integration of visual elements, narrative line, dialogue and music, Chen paints an unforgettable picture of two lost lives. She is selected from among the girls in the powdered milk factory to which she is assigned to learn how to handle horses and told that, once trained, she will be brought back to lead an all-girl cavalry unit.
History moves on.
Her mission is lost in the bureaucratic shuffle and the mismatched pair are largely forgotten. They seem about to sink into an idyll of pastoral companionship - except for Xiu Xiu's longing for her home and the manipulative corruption of the local government officials, which poisons their relationship and leads to a tragic ending. The visual images are arresting and stunning. The Tibetan high plains locations are used to full effect in creating a sense of isolation and of the overwhelming power of nature. The awe-inspiring backgrounds add a surreal, timeless quality to the story.