'The Eagle Huntress' A Review

The Eagle Huntress is a documentary about young Mongolian girl Aisholpan who attempts to be the first female eagle hunter. The film opens on an eagle hunter in the mountains releasing his golden eagle after seven years of service. Accompanying this is narration describing the long patriarchal tradition of nomads hunting with golden eagles. For the remainder of the film we follow Aisholpan as she goes to school, is trained by her father to eagle hunt, competes in a eagle hunting competition, and ventures out on the winter ice to hunt for herself.

The landscape is beautiful but what has even more grace is Aisholpan herself who navigates her unprecedented passion with bravery and a quiet assurance, her uncompromising drive to be an eagle hunter pairs with her unwavering confidence that she has the right to do what she wants to do to make her, in a way, transcend the incredible boundary she is breaking. She is a unique and captivating young woman who happens to be doing this thing no one has ever done before. What also becomes clear is the devotion, love, pride, and support of her family which is unflinching in the face of some shockingly brazen sexist posturing.

Although the film focuses mostly on the actual fundamentals and nature of eagle hunting, which is fascinating and majestic in and of itself, the subtleties of the ancient male-only president being broken are what make it so powerful.

An inspiring and poignant true story that affirms the power of the individual.

See It.