Educational Media Reviews Online

Sparrow Village focuses on two issues surrounding female education in rural villages in southwestern China. First, the film discusses the aspiration of village girls for an education, and the dream of a better life away from the poverty of their home village. The second theme is the extreme sacrifice required by the parents to meet the financial challenges of tuition, books and lodging compounded by loosing a significant member from the family’s scant labor force.

Education in this part of the world is entirely disconnected from the livelihood of the scattered Miao communities where poverty is rampant and illiteracy universal, especially among women. Moreover, breathtaking mountainous terrain with lush greenery, terraced rice paddies and meandering streams frame a traditional way of life that seems utterly detached from the concept of education. This notion culminates in scenes of the three hour walk from their home to the school where a procession of elementary and middle school children carries their week’s ration of food and firewood across streams and through dirt paths in the mountains. The film captures the extant obstacles to learning, yet, the village girls still yearn to attend school.

The personal narratives reveal contrasting views regarding the value of education between the parents and their daughters. The parents, even those recognizing the value of education, voice the financial hardship of coping with school expenses and the traditional preference to invest in their son’s education, based on the expectation that their sons will support them while the daughters, once married, will be part of their husband’s household. The daughters, despite recognizing the sacrifice of their parents, wish to attend high school and pursue education and future careers as athletes, doctors, singers, and teachers.

This beautifully photographed film explores the natural beauty of Guizhou Province and the customs of the Miao ethnic minority. Local cultural elements are represented in the scenes with dancers in colorfully embroidered clothing and silver headdress, accompanied by songs and music with traditional instruments. The juxtaposition of black and white scenes representing reminiscences and the use of slow motion contributes to the artistry of the film. However, the central theme, the education of girls, seems at times to have an insufficient treatment. Relevant appearances such as the school’s sole female teacher, who serves as a role model and expresses satisfaction with the challenges in teaching literacy to older women, deserve more attention. Perhaps it reflects the intention of the filmmaker to portrait a mosaic of issues and concerns in a limited time frame, rather than a critical and comprehensive discussion surrounding the topic of education. Recommended for introducing the subject of education and the surrounding paradox of life choices.