Winter Nomads

Documentary following a pair of Swiss shepherds as they lead their huge mass of livestock through a four-month trek known as transhumance.

"As the first snows fall, a master shepherd and his apprentice - Pascal and the younger Carole - take to the road with 800 sheep, a trio of donkeys, four sheepdogs and one eager puppy. Skirting the roads and housing estates of French-speaking Switzerland, they camp at night, travel by day and graze the beasts as they go. Carole is the frequent target of Pascal's withering criticism, as she fails to control either sheep or dogs. At night by the fire, sheep bells sounding in the background, their differences are forgotten. This film is a charming record of a very different way of life, filled with exquisite imagery, droll humour and fresh air." (Sydney Film Festival)

Less