A boy, a horse and a dream.
That’s the premise of the Chinese children’s film, The Little Horsewhip, which follows a Kazakh boy named Angsar as he learns about responsibility, courage and the bond between humans and animals while pursuing his dream of becoming a skilled horse rider.
Set in Altay Prefecture in Xinjiang, China, the film offers a glimpse into the region’s landscapes, traditions and way of life.
Ahead of its Malaysian premiere on Oct 1, a delegation from Xinjiang and members of the film’s creative team held a press conference in Kuala Lumpur.
Director of the theory division Li Xiaobing said the film was inspired by real-life experiences in Xinjiang, including equestrian programmes in schools.
He added that the unusual prizes featured in the film’s horse-racing competitions, such as farm animals, are also based on reality.
“When sports competitions are held in Xinjiang, the prizes can include cattle, sheep or camels.
“These are all real and not made up by the film for dramatic effect,” he said.
The production team also interviewed local herders and observed children’s daily lives, incorporating their experiences of learning to ride, competing and caring for horses into the story.
For Li, these details were important in showing that horse riding is more than a competitive sport.
“We wanted to show that equestrianism is not merely a sport, but also part of a cultural tradition that connects people with animals and nature,” he said.
Nature plays an important role in The Little Horsewhip, which was filmed across all four seasons in Hemu Village – an ethnic settlement in Altay known for its wooden houses, grasslands, forests, river valleys and livestock.
External liaison producer Maimaiti Simayi said each season offered a different backdrop.
“In summer, you can enjoy the beautiful flowers, while autumn brings golden foliage. In winter, visitors can experience various snow and ice activities,” he said.
Filming, however, was complicated by the unpredictable weather in Xinjiang’s grasslands.
“We couldn’t always stick to the original filming schedule and had to wait patiently sometimes,” said executive producer Dilibai Abudoureheman.
The three young leads – Bahbol Huatbek, Rari Hamit and Alhal Tursumalt – were non- professional actors, while many supporting roles were played by students from Altay.
Dilibai said the young actors and horses took time to get used to one another.
“The young actors all have their own ideas, and the horses have their own personalities, so it took some time for them to get comfortable with each other,” she added.
Despite the challenges, Li said the young actors eventually developed genuine bonds with the horses as filming progressed.
The Little Horsewhippremiered in Urumqi on Oct 12, 2023, and later won the Outstanding Children’s Film Award at the 20th Huabiao Film Awards and Best Film at the 28th International Children’s and Youth Film Festival.
It was also nominated for Best Children’s Film and Best Music at the 36th China Golden Rooster Awards.
The film has also travelled to various film festivals, including the 28th Schlingel International Film Festival in Germany and the Kolkata International Children’s Film Festival in India.
That journey has now brought The Little Horsewhip to Malaysia, where Li hopes its story will resonate despite the geographical and cultural differences between the two regions.
“While Xinjiang and Malaysia may be thousands of kilometres apart, the innocent emotions of a child growing up with the support of family and friends do not require much explanation.
“I believe Malaysian audiences will be able to relate to them as well,” he said.
The Little Horsewhip is showing at cinemas nationwide.
