New Showbiz

You are here:
Tharlo

Tharlo

2015

Director

Pema Tseden

Runtime

138 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

Tharlo is an orphan. Now grown up, he makes a living as a sheep herder in the village. He has grown a ponytail, so people simply call him “Ponytail”, since nobody remembers his real name anyway. Tharlo has a remarkable memory. He remembers so many things, except his own name. He is now in his forties, and he has yet to have his first woman. Now Tharlo goes to town to take a photo for his identity card. He meets a girl in the barber’s shop who changes the course of his life. He embarks on the journey to find his true self. He sells all his sheep and those entrusted by other villagers to him for care, and decides to use the money to go out into the world with the girl, only to find himself being deceived and cheated by her. Ironically, in his journey of self-discovery, Tharlo has lost his sense of self. As he witnesses in the mirror his ponytail being cut off and leaving him bald, he can no longer see himself as a man with a history that he recognizes.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

7.7/10

Good

Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Minimal

The film does not feature queer narratives or non-heteronormative identities. The central relationship is a heterosexual pursuit, lacking exploration of LGBTQ+ agency.

Gender Representation

Fair

A female character acts as a complex catalyst for the protagonist's journey rather than a passive figure. However, the narrative remains primarily centered on the male experience of loss.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Excellent

The film excels by centering a Tibetan cast and the lived experience of the Tibetan Plateau. This provides a powerful counter-narrative to Western-centric cinematic perspectives.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Excellent

The story offers a sophisticated critique of modernization encroaching on traditional nomadic ways of life. It portrays the shift toward bureaucratic systems as a source of profound dislocation.

Disability Representation

Fair

The protagonist's remarkable memory creates a sense of cognitive dissonance. While not a clinical depiction, his existential disorientation serves as a central psychological theme.

Strengths

  • Authentic indigenous representation through a Tibetan cast and setting.
  • Sophisticated critique of the tension between nomadic traditions and modern bureaucracy.
  • Provides a vital, non-Western perspective on identity and modernization.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lack of representation for LGBTQ+ identities or queer narratives.
  • Narrative focus remains heavily centered on the male experience of disorientation.

AI Analysis

Tharlo is a profound meditation on the erosion of identity caused by the friction between indigenous nomadic traditions and modern statehood. It succeeds most significantly through its authentic Tibetan perspective, offering a vital non-Western lens on the human condition. The film's strength lies in its cultural specificity and its critique of how consumerist, settled lifestyles disrupt historical continuity. By centering marginalized ethnic identities, it challenges conventional global narrative hierarchies. However, the film remains limited in its scope regarding queer identities and maintains a primary focus on the male protagonist's psychological fragmentation. The gender dynamics, while nuanced, do not fully decentralize the male experience.

How are these scores produced? →

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.