Caught between salvaging his fracturing family who yearn to move to the city for opportunities and the failing ranch where his heart lies, Saina, a Mongolian herdsman, tries earning more money as a horseback performer for Chinese tourists as he stubbornly clings on to a way of life that seems destined to fade.

Inspired by the life of a friend who plays a semi-fictional version of himself on screen, JIANG Xiaoxuan’s character study ironically contrasts the breathtaking skill of Saina’s performances, which commodify his heritage, with the harsh reality of the effects of climate change and modernisation which have brought gradual impoverishment that threatens to wipe out the history he represents. In Saina’s struggles, JIANG finds potent drama in the irreconcilable tensions he faces and also an elegy to his way of life.