The Gold-Laden Sheep & the Sacred Mountain

High in the mountains lies a treasure. Guarded by treacherous slopes and valleys, no known path leads to it. This is not the gold-laden sheep of fairy tales discussed during nighttime conversations around the fire but a recently crashed airplane. The authorities establish a reward for finding the wreckage. But the question is how to get there. The only ones who know the area are local shepherds, who are aware of the threat that conceit poses in the Himalayas. One of them, Arjun, a misogynist and in poor health, decides to take the risk. Ridham Janve’s contemplative debut, made up of long, picturesque shots, captures the stark majesty of the mountains in the north of Himachal Pradesh. The Gold-Laden Sheep & the Sacred Mountaincan be read as a parable, drawing on local beliefs, about human pride and modernity, seducing human beings into temptation and knocking them out of the orbit of traditional life. At the same time, the director shows—in a documentary-like fashion—the hardships faced by the inhabitants of the mountains. The fact that the lead roles are played by Gaddi shepherds with no previous acting experience also lends to the film’s authenticity.