Life on a String
Set against the awesome backdrop of the barren mountains and plains of inner Mongolia, Life on a String unfurls a profound tale of a master and pupil, old and young, both completely blind, who wander the sun-scorched earth in an aimless quest for enlightenment. They express themselves themselves through heartfelt song and the fragile banjos they carry, living for the fulfillment of the prophecy that when the thousandth string breaks, the player will be rewarded with the sight and wisdom they so vigilantly pursue. The path before them is laden with new experience: for the student, a sexual awakening with a peasant girl; for the saint, an ongoing battle with his failing health. At other times they confront more frightening obstacles, as when they stumble onto a battle in which massive armies clash in the desert wasteland.